the mercies of the Covenant No opinion that they hold party that they take name that they think they have got supposed interest that they have in Christ can acquit them They may be denominated unsanctified or unholy men having not obtained that which the Apostle sought in prayer in behalf of the Thessalonians that they might be sanctified throughout in spirit soul and body sanctification purifies all the unclean and heales all the diseased parts And no unclean person can inherit the Kingdome of God Eph. 5.5 They are truely styled impenitent ones Repentance is a return to God in the same latitude as our departure by sin was from him In every sin of all these and of the like kind we depart from God In repentance therefore we are to return from every sin to God The Prophet tells us upon what terms our souls may be freed from ruine by sin Ezek. 18.30 Repent and turn your selves from all your transgressions so iniquity shall not be your ruine and unlesse we repent we shall all perish Luk. 13.3 5. They are justly pronounced to be void of grace there being that contrariety between grace and sin that they cannot rest in the same subject or lodge continually in the same heart without opposiition Where grace is prevalent sin falls and where sin prevails grace is excluded and it is the grace of God that brings salvation Tit. 2.11 They are void of the Spirit of regeneration As our birth-corruption hath in it the spawn of all sin so regeneration hath the seed of all grace And Except we be born again we cannot see the Kingdome of God John 3.3 These are the men which by their claime of Baptisme The uselessenesse of Sacraments to these persons and offer of themselves to the Lords Table subscribe the equity of their own condemnation and justifie the sentence of death pronounced against themselves They accept the Covenant on those terms on which it is tendered in the Gospel and upon these terms they are under the wrath of God and lyable to the sentence of eternal death Yet not remedilessely helplessely hopelessely as it is with those oftentimes that upon forfeitures of Covenant fall into the hands of man the forfeiture being once made advantages are taken by many to the uttermost The prodigal is an instance of the Fathers readinesse to receive to mercy those that have gone away from him in wayes of sin And the Prophet tells us Ezek. 18.21 22. If the wicked will turn from all his sins that he hath committed and keep all my statutes and do that which is lawful and right he shall surely live he shall not dye All his transgressions that he hath committed they shall not be mentioned unto him in his righteousnesse that he hath done he shall live And though it be a wickednesse that reaches to the highest violation of Covenant yet this shall not hinder Jer. 3.1 They say If a man put away his wife and she go from him and become another mans shall he return unto her again Shall not that land be greatly polluted But thou hast played the harlot with many lovers yet returne again to me saith the Lord. He that hath hitherto come in the highest degree of unworthinesse to the Lords Table as oft as he hath come to it yet casting that off which was his unworthinesse and coming up to Gods terms he is now received and accepted SECT VII A further Corollary from the former Doctrine THen let all take heed that they look for no more from Sacraments then God hath put into them We are to look for no more from Sacraments then God hath put into them and promised to do by them and hath promised to work by them least looking unto them and waiting for them as the troops of Tema and companies of Sheba for the stream of Brooks which vanish when they wax warm and are consumed out of their place they be confounded and coming thither be ashamed And this caveat is no more then needs seeing men in all times have been wonderfully apt to delude themselves upon account of their fruition of outward Church-priviledges Mens aptnesse to delude themselves in Sacramental priviledges and in particular Sacrament-priviledges And to this they are induced by divers reasons 1. Because Sacraments are an honour which God hath vouchsaf'd to his people and denyed to others that stand not in that relation and they cannot think that it is in vain that such an honour is conferred upon them 2. There are great promises annext to them and made to those that make right improvement of them The bread is the Communion of the body and the wine in the Lords Supper the Communion of the blood of Christ 1 Cor 10.16 It is the New Testament in Christs blood shed for many for the remission of sins Matth. 26.28 Baptisme saves through the resurrection of Christ 1 Pet. 3.21 As many as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ Gal. 3.27 Insomuch that we have been taught that in Baptisme we are made children of God members of Christ and inheriters of the Kingdom of heaven These promises are streight applied without any eye had to the terms and Propositions annext to them like unto men that look at dignities in offices and never regard the burthens 3. Interest in Sacraments is not onely a priviledge but a duty not onely an honour but a work of obedience in them that partake of them To be baptized with water and to eat of the Bread and drink of the Cup in the Lords Supper is a duty as it was to be circumcised in the flesh of the foreskin and to eat the Paschal Lambe at the time appointed and there is danger in neglect of these This gives some ease and speaks some peace to the conscience that they have done the Command of the Lord. 4. They are yet matters of ease especially New-Testament-Sacraments Here is no mortification of the members no crucifying of the flesh no cutting off the right hand or plucking out the right eye and therefore no marvel that men could wish that all Religion were in them and hope that salvation may be gained by them Lastly Those of these conceits have alwayes met with teachers to sooth them up in them In all Ages some have over-highly advanced Sacramental priviledges and carry on their delusion How high was Circumcision set up in the Apostles times as in regard of the necessity of it Acts 15.1 Certain men which came down from Judea taught the brethren and said Except ye be circumcised after the manner of Moses ye cannot be saved So also in regard of the power and efficacy of it and therefore the Apostle was put to it to warn men in that way of the delusion and to give that undervaluing term of concision to it Phil. 3.2 After-age produced Schoolmen and Popish Writers to magnifie them affixing and limiting salvation except in some cases extraordinary to the water in Baptisme and
known There have been transubstantiations but those were never hidden Moses his rod was turned into a Serpent and it was seen to be a Serpent so that Moses on sight fled from it Exod. 4.3 It was turned again into a rod and known to be a rod vers 4. Christ turnes water into wine Joh. 2.9 that was not judged to be still water or called by that name but by the taste known to be of the most precious wine vers 10. But our senses having thus deceived us and made us believe that there is still bread and wine when by miracle bread and wine is gone where shall we find any Word to ground our faith to believe this delusion The words of the institution or nothing must carry it This is my body this Cup is my blood in the New Testament But such an interpretation 1. Destroyes the outward sign and makes it no Sacrament 2. Makes the speech wholly not Sacramental No Sacramental speech can be proper and we have enough from out adversaries to excuse our faith from the acknowledgement of any such a change If we look no further then three testimonies quoted by learned Mr. Gataker from three Romish Cardinals in his discourse of transubstantiation Pag. 2. 3. Cardinal Bellarmine saith he granteth that these words This is my body may imply either such a real change of the bread as the Catholiques hold or such a figurative change as the Calvinists hold but will not bear that sense that the Lutherans give it And Cardinal Cajetan acknowledgeth and freely confesseth that there appeareth not any thing out of the Gospel that may enforce us to understand those words This is my body properly And he addeth that nothing in the text hindreth but that those words may as well be taken in a metaphorical sense as those words of the Apostle the Rock was Christ and that the words of either proposition may well be true though the thing there spoken be not understood in a proper sense but in a metaphorical sense onely And he further q saith he finds alleadged out of Bishop Fisher whom Bellar. lib. de Scriptor Ecclesiast Pag. 209. makes both a Cardinal and a Martyr that there is not one word in St. Matthewes Gospel from which the true presence of Christs flesh and blood in our Masse may be proved out of Scripture it cannot be proved And being traduced for this quotation by an adversary as taking king it out of a nameless Author ignorant and unsincere in his assertions In his defence of the said discourse Pag. 44. he tells his adversary that his Author whom he thus brands as ignorant and unsincere is Bishop Andrewes in his answer to the Apology of Card. Bellar. against King James his admonitory preface Chap. 1. and I find Musculus in his common places de Coena Domin Pag. 365. quoting the same words out of the same Author and much more to the same purpose He that would be further furnished against this monster of transubstantiation in our own language let him read the fore-mentioned discourse of Mr. Gatakers together with the defence as also Bishop Mortons his Treatise divided into eight parts of the institution of the Sacrament of the body and blood of Christ Gods goodnesse seen in his condescension to our weaknesse Thirdly We may see the goodness of God in this way of condescension by earthly things carnal sensible and suitable to our natures to help our understandings and strengthen our faith in things heavenly If we were meer incorporeal substances and had spirits not shut up and imprisoned in bodies then saith Chrysostome we should have had spirituall things in an answerable way nakedly in themselves held out unto us then Parables had not been used nor similitudes borrowed nor Sacramental signs instituted But having souls affixt to bodies that which our spirits should learn these things of earth are imployed of God to teach God looked not at himself when he chose this method It is farre below him to fill up his sacred Oracles with these things but at our imbecillity In case he should speak as God that is in a language answering the Majestie of God we must be as gods to comprehend his words and understand his speech but dealing with us that have bodies made up of earth and minds over eagerly addicted to earth he is pleased in his transactions not to deal if I may so say as God but as with man seeking glory onely in manifestation of his goodness and tender regard of our weakness Christ saw a necessity of this way of dealing not onely as God by his omniscience but as man by his practical experience He taught Nicodemus the nature of regeneration by similitudes borrowed from water and from the wind Except a man be borne of water and of the Spirit he cannot enter into the kingdome of God The wind bloweth where it listeth and thou hearest the sound thereof but canst not tell whence it cometh and whither it goeth So is every one that is born of the Spirit Joh. 3.5 8. Notwithstanding all this endeavour of Christ to cleare this truth Nicodemus still remaines ignorant he answers and saies to Christ How can these things be Christ after a sharp reproof ver 10. Art thou a master in Israel and knowest not these things not onely a Scholar but a Teacher and that not in any place of darknesse but in Israel that valley of vision addes ver 12. If I have told you earthly things and ye beleeve not how shall ye beleeve if I tell you of heavenly things Christ had not read a Lecture to Nicodemus of the water or of the wind neither had Nicodemus questioned either of those assertions The wind bloweth where it listeth thou knowest not whence it comes nor whither it goes that he should on this account charge Nicedemus with not beleeving doctrine of this kind But the meaning is If I speak of regeneration by earthly similitudes and expressions obvious to the senses and you are not able to apprehend and understand them how then if I speak to you of heavenly things in an heavenly manner without any such sensible representation at all would you then understand This interpretation of these words Maldonate doth give notwithstanding Bullinger Decad. 5 Ser. 6. had gone before him in it Ravanellus in his Thesaurus and Mr. Burges in his Ser. 35. pag. 211. give the same In which we see our need of help this way and the singular condescension of Christ Jesus in dealing this way for our help which place in my thoughts serves to cleere that speech of the Evangelist Mar. 4.33 And with many such parables spake he the word unto them as they were able to beare it many are there reckoned up and more by Matthew Matth. 13. many more perhaps were uttered then either Matthew or Mark relate as they were able to bear saith the text according to their capacities say the larger Annotations And so Jansenius upon the words
almost forgotten and looked upon as a Ceremony antiquated and obsolete Christian prudence should interpose and discern a mean between both To quicken and put us on against this last of which the most had need instead of a Book of Canons Directions for our guidance about it or compulsory Lawes Let us 1. Affect our soules with an ardent love of Christ and then we shall not be so slack in celebration of this memorial of him We will keep up the memory of an endeared friend this way Christ hath commended to endear his memory to us If love be such as it ought we shall not desire that it be seldome if it may be possibly often Peter had it three times in charge from Christ to feed his Lambs to feed his sheep how often he must preach Christ he is not told that is left to his love If thou lovest me feed my sheep Love would not let him be slothfull 2. Let us take into consideration our own necessities of which here we may have supplyes first our want of humiliation and heart-breaking how slight and overly is all our feeling and sense of sin if let alone are we not in danger to grow past feeling which was the case of the Heathen when they had arrived at the greatest height of wickednesse Ephes 4.19 Here is an hammer for that purpose when once the Law hath discovered by the light that is given that we have sinned No way to this for the aggravation of it Here we see Gods detestation of sin that would not spare it in his onely Son as he spared not the Angels that sinned but having no Mediatour to bear it for them they bore the punishment of it in their own persons so he spared not his own Son when he had taken upon him our sin Here we see the desert of sin in all those torments which Christ bore for us If we would know sin and be sensible of wrath study the Sacrament the dead soul may be here awakened Secondly our spiritual weaknesses and wants which I shall set out in Mr. Pembles words Let them look inward and see how great need they have of many and often confirmations of their faith renovations of their repentance of stirring up the graces of God in their soules to adde an edge an eagernesse to all spiritual affections after holinesse to get unto themselves the most powerfull provocations unto obedience Every one that hath grace knowes how frequently the power thereof is impaired by temptations weakened by wordly distractions even of our lawful employment and over-mastered by the force of sinful lusts so that they must needs discover a great deal of ignorance in their spiritual estate that feel not in their own soules a pronenesse to astonishment as well in their soules as in their bodies at least they bewray intolerable carelesnesse that finding the emptinesse and leannesse of their soules yet neglect to repair often to this holy Table whereon is set forth the bread of life whereof when they have eaten their spirit may come again 1 Sam. 31.12 their hearts may be strengthened their soules may be replenished as with marrow and fatnesse These considerations may quicken our appetites after this spiritual food And such a meal extraordinary with the help of our ordinary refreshments in hearing prayer and meditation may carry us on more then 40 dayes towards our heavenly Mansion That we hasten not too fast on the other hand Let us take into consideration our inabilities for a suitable preparation and fitnesse for addresse to this Ordinance we have fasted so long in course that we have scarce known what humiliation of our soules in fasting is yea some would be every day at â—t as we can rise in our spirits to the extraordinary weight of it and fit our soules with suitable preparations for it These that I have named are the best gages that I know to regulate us in it that in over-eager haste in duties extraordinary we do not run our selves out of breath nor in over-much sloth give our selves over to faintnesse and leannesse SECT III. A Corollary from the former Doctrine Men called to the Sacrament may not othewise then upon weighty reasons absent themselves from it THen it will follow by way of necessary inference from this consideration of the necessity of Sacraments that When Sacraments are dispensed Christians should see weighty reasons such in which they may have confidence that they will bear them out at the day of Judgment for their omission of them This duty is in the number of affirmative precepts which alwayes bind A man is never from under the obligation of that Precept Do this in remembrance of me though it doth not bind to all times A man is not to be ever in the doing of it and he is never to be found in the neglect of it Loco tempore debitis in due time and place they must be done A journey would have dispensed with a man for absence from the Passeover so it will when necessity of a mans calling makes it necessary from the Lords Supper so also will sicknesses imprisonments or like providences But when the servant comes and calls and sayes All things are made ready then take thou heed how thou makest excuses They that were called to the wedding Feast might have pleaded that other businesses lay upon them that they could not alwayes attend weddings But when the King sends and sayes All is ready come there is no time for other occasions td be lookt after It were an endlesse work to find out the reasons that men frame for absenting themselves Excuses for absence from the Lords Table removed Some see that it is a duty above them neither their knowledge nor their life doth answer to that which is required in a Communicant and so despair of coming up to it and therefore keep off lest they should as they fear encrease their judgment In case these speak out of a serious consideration of the work with a sad reflexion on themselves upon a diligent scrutiny into their hearts and wayes and so take a day over for it and in the mean time digge for knowledge as for hid treasures and do strengthen their resolutions to withstand all temptations to sin they are by all meanes to be encouraged and holpen every Christian of strength should commiserate these weak soules But in case they clearly see all to be so as we have said and resolve to let all alone as a man that sees himself near to a bankrupt regards not whether end goes forward This is then a sad and saddening reason It lyes upon these to take their state and condition into further consideration that by the good hand of God it may be better with them To provoke these to further care of their eternal state I shall put to them these questions First What is it that thou dost respective to other duties The excuse of unfitnesse examined the duty of
bigger then the Earth that â—e may call an opinion That which by reason we can certainly conclude we may call knowlege but that which we believe upon the credit of him that speaks it that is faith or belief This is so of the being of faith that without it there is no faith neither humane nor divine The Nobleman of Israel 2 Kings 7.1 Zachary the father of John Baptist Luk 1.18 Martha John 11.39 40. were all of them herein faulty This Truth of God was above their reason and therefore they suspended their faith in it We believe not what man saith when we do not assent to the truth of that which he speaks and we believe not what God speaks further then we assent to the truth of his Word Thus far the devills go having sufficient experience of the Truth of God and thus far and further we must go if we be in the faith Now this assent hath these two properties first It is Firm secondly Vnlimitted absolute 1. Firm. and full First firm Not alwaies free from assaults and doubtings Satan and our own hearts will muster up objections but such that yeilds not but withstands and overcomes doubtings holds firm to truth when all means are used to wrest from it Herein Eve failed God had said The day that ye eat ye shall surely die Satan brought such objections that upon his word she believed that she should procure good to her self 2. Absolute and unlimited and not incur evil by eating and so yielded to unbelief upon Satans reasonings As our assent must be firm so also absolute and unlimitted to the whole of all that God speaks such was the faith of Paul Acts 24.14 Believing all things which are written in the Law and the Prophets and Christ blames the two Disciples that their faith was not such Luk 24.25 How little honour do we give to man when sometimes we give credit and belief to that which he saies because we see reason and probability of truth in his words and at other times call all to question that he speaks such is the honour that many give to God when they pick and choose in believing as they do in obeying Promises must be believed in the way of Gods tender of them with limit to the conditions annexed to them Threatnings must be believed upon those grounds that they are menaced commands must be believed that is Gods soveraignty in them the justice and equity of them and a necessity of our yielding to them As it must be an assent to the whole Word of God So it must be an assent to it in that sense as God propounds it The Word in that sense that it gives of it self is the Word of God and not otherwise when we put our sense upon it we make it our word not Gods Where we must not condemn all for unbelief that are any waies subject to mistakes or that through weaknesse of judgment do not apprehend every thing as it is Willing and wilfull wrestings of the Word are here spoke against when carnall reasonings out of singularity vain-glory carnall contentment hope of gain and admiration of men are set up against the Truth of God if we should go no further in our scrutiny how many would be found unsound in the faith Have we not those that are so far from any close adherence to truth tendred that every wind tosseth them to and fro and drives them up and down that hold no longer in an opinion then a mimick gallant keeps in a fashion and change their faith as these do their dresse Have we not those that believe where they list and that is where it may serve for their advantage or repute but where they list not they can deny all faith to any truth that God speaks deny it they wil where they see it tends to their danger No swearer no drunkard no adulterer no extorting oppressor c. can believe the truth of God in his Word but he must with it believe his own condemnation 2. In the will with the affections But faith is a work of the whole soul and implyes the will with the affections as well as the understanding Faith is exprest in Scripture by our coming to Christ Joh. 6.35 And that is a work of the will and not of the mind of the judgement and not of the affections It is called a receiving of Christ Joh. 1.12 this is also done by the will and affections Consideration and deliberation are works of the understanding but choise and imbracing are works of the will when the woman of Samaria Joh. 4.29 saith Is not this the Messiah There was matter of consideration and deliberation there was work for the understanding to be imployed in whether he were to be acknowledged indeed the Messiah But now to leave all and follow Christ to forsake all and cleave to him This is matter of choise and work for the will and affections whose work it is to take or refuse Therefore as faith is set out in Scripture by words implying knowledge and assent so likewise by words implying affiance trust rolling casting a mans self on the Lord. Faith then takes Christ and cleaves to him in all of those relations in which a Christian stands to Christ takes Christ and lookes for no other delight or comfort takes Christ and will not indure any other Lord or commander takes Christ and lookes for no other helper takes Christ and lookes for no other Saviour takes Christ as a Saviour and trusts in him takes Christ as an husband and delights in him takes Christ as a Lord and obeyes him Thus according to the several offices that Christ does there are several actings of faith for to answer The great work of Christ was to give his soul an offering for sin to shed his blood to take away our guilt there faith answers and it is not alone said that they that believe are justified from all things from which they could not be justified by the Law of Moses which might imply no more then a qualification of the person to be justified but it is further said that Christ is set forth a propitiation through faith in his blood Rom. 3.25 which plainly denotes the instrument whereby we have our interest When there are many acts of faith that which respects his blood alone doth justifie Christ is set up as a King and hath all things put in subjection under him Here faith yields up all to him and consents as to be saved so to be ruled by him Christ in his Kingly power protects as well as commands as he holds out a Scepter so he is a shield Faith flyes unto him for shelter and so receives and quenches all Satans darts Christ is given as an head to his body the Chuch not onely for command but for quickning and enlivening power to supply with vitall energies every part and member Here faith answers and takes in from Christ the Spirit by the promises
and received by a Whale and after three dayes and three nights cast safe upon the shore Satan must set up his Arion and make him famous in his Historians and Poets A skilfull Harper of Greece having by excellency in musick gained a great summe of money in Italy and Sicilia returning to his own Countrey with his treasure Mariners with whom he agreed for his Fare greedy of his money cast him into the Sea a Dolphin delighted with his musick carries him safe and landed him at Taenarus See the relation and application elegantly brought home to this purpose by Dr. Abbot Lect. 15. on Jonah making notable observations of Satans policy In case the Narrative carry any truth in it by his wonders so far as his art and power can reach Satan then makes it his business to disgrace Gods miracles and cast dishonour upon them by his imitation though he falls farre short of the Originall as he there shewes and followes him as little Ascanius his Father with very unequal steps And in case we take it for a meer fiction which is his judgement upon it his art is no lesse observable to discredit as farre as in him lyes the writings of Scriptures When this miracle of Jonahs shall be Preached and published in the world Arions fable shall be produced that like faith may be yeelded to either of both See Mr. Burges Spiritual Refining Pag. 131 132. Where this thing in many particulars is enlarged And the more high the wayes of Religion are raised of God in a Spiritual way the more easie it is for Satan who is a spirit to delude The Spirit is the great Gospel-promise to be poured out on all flesh that is on men of all sorts Joel 2.28 God will be served in types and shadowes no longer but in Spirit and truth Joh. 4.23 When the Jewes gloried of Circumcision as that which did denominate them a people of God and distinguished them from all other Nations and urged the necessity of it to salvation the Apostle tells us that they are the Circumcision that worship God in Spirit Phil. 3.3 Satan now on the other hand can take the hint and heighten his way in a destructive manner to Gospel wayes All outward Ordinances shall now be decryed as formes and beggarly rudiments and with Circumcision in the letter laid aside though they be Ordinances of the Spirit it self in which the Spirit expresses its power and efficacy 1. The written Word which was dictated by the Spirit 2 Pet. 1.19 is the sword of the Spirit by which it exercises his power on the soul must be laid aside as a dead letter and over carnal The Ministers of the Word that great gift from the Fathers right hand Ephes 4.11 set over the flocks by the holy Ghost Act. 20.28 on this pretence are to be cast off with Moses and Aaron taking too much upon them when all the Congregation is holy notwithstanding for a real confutation when this Spirit was first given in glory it came upon the heads of his Ministers in forme of tongues fiery cloven Act. 2.3 To let all know is that great appearance that was there that their tongues are sanctified of God to Preach the Word in power and life to all Nations And as the gifts of the Spirit encreased so the Ministers of the Spirit were multiplyed and that very title and name given Ministers of the Spirit 2 Cor. 3.6 And the mind of Jesus Christ made known that these in a peculiar order distinct from other men are set apart to preach the Gospel as the Priests under the Law in a peculiar order were to wait at the Altar 1 Cor. 9.13 14. Upon the same pretence Sacraments must be laid aside the Baptisme of the Spirit is pleaded for the overthrow of the Baptisme of water Though the Apostle that first spake by the Spirit after it was given in glory doth argue the clean contrary Act. 10.47 Who can forbid water that these should not be baptized which have received the holy Ghost as well as we They that have the Spirit will be raised in zeal for the honour and establishment of every Ordinance of God by the Spirit the more spiritual men are the more care they will take to advance the Word the Ministers of the Word Sabbaths Sacraments Let us then observe his imitations his falsifications He vents doctrine of his own sets up wayes of his own that carry a resemblance of Gods wayes And similitude is mater erroris we shall never heed them as long as we know they are the Devils but when he transformes himself into an Angel of light and puts the stamp of God upon his own coyn we must not be ignorant of his sleights but to have our senses exercised to discern between good and evill CHAP. III. Whether there were any Sacraments from the fall to the institution of Circumcision THe next consideration of Sacraments is in mans fallen condition under a Covenant not of works but grace not for mans preservation in life but his restitution to life A further distribution of Sacâ—aments And these are to be distinguished according to Gods way of dispensation of us Covenant to his people which is wont to be done into three periods The first is from the fall till Abraham or unto the time that God entered Covenant with him and his seed which Suarez saith according to the common account doth end at the giving of the Law by Moses when the old Law began yet Circumcision which was in use long before the Law continuing the same under the Law he determines the law of nature at that time when Circucision began The second from Abraham till Christ The third from the first comming of Christ in the flesh till the second comming of his to judgement The first juncture of time hath usually been known by the time of the Law of nature The second the time of the Old And the last the time of the New Covenant Why the first of these should bear the name of the Law of nature I can read of none that have given satisfaction The phrase should seem to imply that then men had no more light then that of nature for their guide in the wayes of God But this is evidently false God did not then begin by way of supernatural revelation to speak to men in the world Suarez in tertiam partem Thomae Tom. 3. Disput 4. Sect. 1. taking upon him to answer the question hath much to amuse the Reader nothing to satisfie him he sayes a Lex naturae intelligitur dictamen rationis non solum ex naturali sed etiam ex supernaturali lumine ortum The law of nature is the dictate of reason arising not onely out of natural but supernatural light And in ihat sense the Gospel is the Law of nature Concerning this space of time whatsoever is the period of it much enquiry is made whether there were any Sacraments at all instituted of God and enjoyed
in ignorance being so far knowing Christians SECT IX The seventh Proposition enlarged AS for those that are of years Admission of men of years examined though we are not much concerned scarce one unbaptized Person in an age being tendred to us yet it is not meet wholly to omit it when any in the Primitive times upon the Preaching of the Apostles was ready to professe and willing to engage in a way of Christianity he was streight according to the order of Christ to be admitted by Baptisme the Commission it self speaks thus much Disciple all Nations baptizing them is the charge being discipled there needs no further enquiry and accordingly was the practice the Eunuch upon profession of faith and water at hand was presently baptized by Philip Act. 8. and the Jaylour the self same hour that he was converted was baptized by Paul and Silas Act. 16. Those that limit Baptisme to years of discretion appear to be wholly of this mind Mr. Tombes Examen Pag. 159. is clear that profession of faith and holinesse is sufficient warrant to baptize And for their practice let their Proselytes wheresoever they prevail speak when such as we see are admitted we may well conclude that in their judgement none are to be refused There are others that set up a new Church-door having discipled any in their way they do not as Christ enjoyned concerning unbaptized Heathens or as others concerning baptized Christians baptize them but they tender a Covenant of Church-fellowship unto them and that is their way of Church entrance when yet their infants keep the old rode of Baptisme These at least some of them are exceeding strict and will have none admitted but those that the quickest sighthed Admission unto a Church-Covenant and membership looked into Eagle-eyed Christians judge so farre as they are able to apprehend to have both name and thing of Christianity And to add honour to this way the world must be born in hand and that with attestation of no mean ones that the conversion of the Gentiles and Jewes in that infinite number as we read in the Acts of the Apostles was all in reality and that the whole Church of Hierusalem consisting at least of eight thousand members was an homogeneal body under the same light conscience and tendernesse Of a more noble homogeneity and more pure constitution sure then ever came into Christs thoughts to see his Kingdom attain unto upon earth He compares it to a field made up of a mixture of Tares and Wheat Matth. 13.24 to a Draw-net cast into the Sea which taketh fishes of all kinds both good and bad Matth. 13.47 And in the close o◠two other Parables inferres that many are called but few are chosen Matth. 20.16 Matth. 22.14 This he spake in the ears of his Disciples and we may wonder if they should live to see it contradicted He tells his hearers Luk. 9.27 Matth. 16.18 There be some standing here which shall not taste of death till they see the Kingdom of God And can we think that he understood a Kingdom in that resplendent glory which he had ever denyed when he made it his business to decipher and hold it forth unto them When they heare of it they hear of a field with tares and wheat of a draw-net with fish of all sorts They live to see flourishing fields of pure wheat full nets of fishes that are onely good being told that many are called but few chosen they yet see myriads of thousands called and all chosen Yea Paul after he had seen the contrary and gained fellowship according to these men in such an homogeneal pure body still symbolizes in like Parables of a great house that had vessels some to honour and some to dishonour 2 Tim. 2.20 applying it to the Elect and Reprobate in the Church of God We are told that the complexion of a visible Church under the Gospel is conversion the constituted matter converted ones and that this soul-complexion is the same in the whole body members having received the same Spirit of Adoption owning and experiencing the same grace of God But it is plain that Christ did neither see nor foresee any such purity of complexion nor can they that look upon Primitive Churches in the glasse of Scriptures see any more then Christ did discover Those words of Luke Act. 15.3 And being brought on their way by the Church they passed through Phenice and Samaria declaring the conversion of the Gentiles and they caused great joy unto all the brethren is made a fundamental ground-work of this building of such glory as though all conversion by the Word were attended by the changing work of the Spirit which happy glosse in case it would hold would turne all the grounds in the parable into good ground and a cōnvert or proselyte in an historical narrative would ever be the same with elect or regenerate But the words going before and following these if they may be but taken in will serve to spoil all this supposed glory and purity A sect riseth up and teacheth the Brethren that except they be circumcised after the manner of Moses they cannot be saved and what manner of men they were and how their Doctrine took we may read in Pauls Epistles to the Philippians Colossians and especially in that to the Churches of Galatia it almost wrought to the apostatizing of those Churches from the faith of Christ to another Gospel If ever these were one homogeneal body respective to soul complexion an abundant proof is given in against the Saints perseverance and for their falling from grace Paul was not so enamoured with their beauty when he tells them that he is afraid of them and travells again in birth of them And whether he had such high thoughts of the Corinthians let sundry passages in his Epistles to them witnesse Great complexion spots may be seen 1 Cor. Chap. 3.3 Chap. 6.8 Chap. 11.18 19 21. Chap. 15.12 34. 2 Cor. 12.20 21. So that it is plain that in primitive times Jewes and Pagans being wrought upon by the Word heard and miracles seen to make profession of and engage to a Christian faith and life were upon that account received of which as some had hearts sincere towards Christ so many were otherwise Through the whole Scripture there is no demurre put to the Baptisme of any who made profession of the Name of Christ save Saul concerning whom Ananias being warned of God to go to him and conferre sight upon him being struck blind objects the evil that he had done to the Saints at Hierusalem and that he had at present authority from the Chief Priests to bind all that called on the Name of Christ Acts 9.13 14. And when he afterwards assayed to joyn himself to the disciples that were at Hierusalem they were all upon that account afraid of him Neither Ananias at Damascus nor the Church at Hierusalem did put his sincerity in grace to the question upon that account they might
the Disciples of Christ for discovery of a Disciple in the former sense by their affections to him and suffering of affliction for him are of singular use Christ himself hath gone before us in it But upon the notation of the word because Christ gave the Bread and Cup to Disciples to make the subject of that Sacrament to be onely those that reach these markes is besides the holy Ghosts intention All outward Ordinances are for the Church in fieri and not onely in facto for the bringing of it on to Christ I should desire to know where any outward sensible Ordinance is made or how in reason and according to Scripture it can be made the proper peculiar right of invisible members SECT XI Proposition 9 THe Sacrament of the Supper no more then other Ordinances is not limited to those that have received a new life in Christ by the Spirit that are actually regenerate and in grace The Lords Supper is not limited to those that have received a new life by the Spirit others as they may be admitted without sin so they are in a capacity and possbility to receive benefit from it This I am not ignorant that some will question But let these consider before they censure First That it is an external Ordinance as hath been said Arguments a priviledge of the Church as visible put into the hands of those for edification that are not able to discern men of spiritual life and invisible interest And though there be characteristicall differnces whereby a man in grace and he that is short of it may be distinguished whereby all bad ground at the best may be differenced from that which is good yet they are such whereby a man is to make trial of himself onely they are Spirit-works and none knowes them in any man save the Spirit that is in him and therefore no marks for any others cognizance For a Minister of Christ to dispence by command the Sacrament to many when he knowes that it is of possible use and benefit to some few unto these it is food and nourishment unto life unto the others as Rats-bane Poyson and onely for death is such a snare that may hold him in his administration in all horror and amazement A fad dilemma either to lay aside an Ordinance of Christ and so never come up in his place to the whole of his duty or else to deliver to them that which will inevitably be the ruine and destruction of so many of them I know no possible way that can be supposed or so much as pretended for avoidance but in the Name of Christ to give warning to all in whom this new life by the Spirit is not to abstain every man and woman not actually regenerate on their peril to keep off Let them say some know their danger in the highest terms that can be uttered and then if they come their blood is on their own heads and the Minister of Christ hath by this means delivered his soul But to this I have three things to say 1. That it is as I suppose without all Scripture-precedent to warn men upon account of want of a new life by the Spirit wholly to keep off from this or any other Ordinance of Christ I know we must warn men of their sin and the judgement hanging over their heads for sin in which let it be our prayer that we may be more faithful but that we should warn men upon this account upon this very ground to hold off from all addresse to Ordinances I have not learnt 2. I say this doth presuppose that which is wont to be denyed unregenerate men to be in a capacity to examine themselves respective to this Ordinance How can we warn them upon want of justifying faith and the saving work of repentance to hold back when they are in an incapacity upon trial to find themselves thus wanting 3. Shall we not hereby pluck the thorne out of our own sides and as much as in us lyes thrust it into the sides of many of our hungry thirsty and poor in spirit people How many may we suppose are in grace through a work happily begun on their souls yet for several reasons are not able to see this grace or reach to any discovery of it Sometimes by reason of the infancy of the work upon their hearts being yet babes or rather embryo's in grace The first that appears upon light received is an army of lusts and potent corruptions as we know Paul sets it out This cloudes for present any other weak work that as yet in present is wrought In this time Satan is not wanting he did not shew so much artifice before to lessen their sin but he now makes use of as much to aggravate it and as he was industrious before to seduce now he is as busie to accuse He led the incestuous man to incontinency 1 Cor. 7.4 And we know Paul feares least upon continuance of the Church-censure he would gain advantage to swallow him up in overmuch sorrow 2 Cor. 2.8 11. These perhaps as yet are not able to give an account of the nature of faith and repentance or their genuine fruits much lesse are they able by a reflex act to conclude the truth of them in their souls Sometimes by reason of some sharpe conflict of temptation being under the shock and assault of it and therefore whatsoever they have seen of grace heretofore or the favour of God now it is under a cloud which I believe was Pauls case when a messenger of Satan was sent to buffet him and a thorne in the flesh given him seeing it is put in opposition to the abundance of revelations that he had being taken up into the third heavens 2 Cor. 12. and therefore had need of Ordinances for support Sometimes on a soyle received by temptation of which his own heart and not the Church is witnesse and therefore is at a losse of the joy of his salvation and stands in need of strength for recovery Sometimes by over-much sloath and rust contracted on his graces through negligence which is supposed to be the case of the spouse indulging her self too much in carnal ease Cant. 5.2 I have put off my coat how shall I put it on I have washed my feet how shall I defile them Sometimes God out of prerogative withdrawing the rayes of his Spirit and refusing to testifie with our spirits in which case the soul that is most upright with God and sincere in his feare walks in darknesse and sees no light in which there is need of all communications from God and attendance upon him in Ordinances When these shall hear all in whom the work of grace is not in truth thus warned to keep back and told of the high danger of approaching to this Table in such away aggravated will not they put in their name and say their souls are now spoke to They must therefore absent themselves and so the smoaking flax is quenched
and the bruised reed broke There have not been a few hungry sad souls that I have known that have born the terror of the Lord separate themselves for this reason But it will be replyed by those that give this warning that they mean not these they are not at all intended in their speech these they would tender and with all endeared affection of love encourage as those that have most need and are most fit to receive food for their strength But all of this helps not when this Proposition is laid down That no man in whom justifying faith and a new life by the Spirit is not wrought may dare otherwise then on the peril of his soul to draw nigh hither will not such a soul necessarily assume A new life through the Spirit is not wrought in my soul I am conscious to my self that I am carnal whatsoever endeavours I have used to believe yet how far am I from faith in strength and truth I find my self all over doubts and fears and plunged in unbelief And though I have made it my businesse to keep off from sin yet how far am I from a true change by repentance I find my heart hard obdurate even as an adamant yea the poor deserted soul will take to it self the state of Cain the condition of Judas If there be any other high in wickednesse they have matched yea they have exceeded them They are to put it to the question whether they are in grace or no whether they have a new life wrought or as yet are short of it This they must either determine in the affirmative that they are in grace at least there are those hopeful signs in present that they cannot but conclude it and then they safely may come upon sight of this they may with cheerfulnesse make their addresse or else they must carrie it in the negative all that is yet wrought is not life is not grace is not faith in its power is not repentance in truth as they can do no other that walk in darknesse and see no light that say God hath forgotten to be gracious and so they must keep off from the Ordinance and debar themselves from those cordials those apples those flagons that are there tendered and sick of love yet dare not intermeddle with the Lords tokens that are tendered to them or in the third place suspend and so sit down in doubtful fears whether they have grace or no and then that of the Apostle Rom. 14.23 He that doubteth is damned if he eat because he eateth not of faith for whatsoever is not of faith is sin will soon come into their thoughts and so all that are short of fulnesse of assurance must in dreadful horror separate themselves Secondly This Sacrament in that it is a Sacrament hath the name and nature of a seal as we see in the text and God willing shall be shewn a visible seal intrusted in the hands of man and therefore must needs be of a more different latitude and large extent then that seal which God reserves in his own keeping the seal of the Spirit The Lord knowes them that are his 2 Tim. 2.19 But man is to seek who are the Lords God knowes how to put to his seal to his own man who hath not this knowledg must needs be here allowed a greater latitude either men entrusted with it must have the knowledge of God as to this particular who they are in whom a new life is and grace wrought or else they must be allowed a greater latitude to take in men that make profession of God and as members in Church-Communion may be edified by it I know this argument is carried another way and that we conclude the contrary upon a double account 1. These seales of God outward and inward should answer each to other Those that have the outward seal they are to have the inward those that take into their hand the seal of the Sacrament should have the impresse of the Spirit on their soules To which I answer That the writing of the Word with Inke and Paper in the Bible and the writing in the heart by the Spirit should answer each the other that is every Christian should make it his businesse to hide that Word in his heart that by the Ministery sounds in his ears and yet Christians are not warned not to take a Bible into their hands till the impresse of that which is there is put on their hearts The Word is delivered in a greater latitude and so also must the Sacrament 2. Some say this Sacrament seales Gospel-promises onely they therefore that can claime the promise and have their interest in it can claime the seal otherwise the seal is put to a blank there is a seal where there is no Covenant-promise 1. I answer this argument thus carried speaks sadly to the hearts of all dispensers of the Sacraments they must see there is a Covenant-promise or else they must not dare to put to a seal To put any mans seal to a blank paper where nothing is written is a vain use of that seal It stands there as a cypher Now to put Gods seal to a blank where nothing is written doubtlesse is as vain and an high taking of Gods Name in vain according to these the Covenant is written in non-legible and invisible characters This inward work is that white stone with a new name written which no man knoweth save he that receives it Revel 2.17 and so the dispensers too often against convictions of conscience allwayes at hap-hazard must deliver them any thing written or not written whether a blank or filled up they cannot tells but are all at uncertainties 2. I answer as is the seal so is the Covenant both of them external and one must answer to the other Now these in question as hath been demonstrated at large are in Covenant An outward Covenant is by few questioned and so the seal is put to no blank but given to one interested in Covenant It seals the grace of the Covenant and mercy tendred in the promise on Gods termes and propositions So that the different latitude of the seal of the Spirit and of the seal of the Sacrament do conclude that men of no more then visible Church-interest may partake of it 3. The Church de facto hath injoyed it in this latitude not to instance in some ages following the times of the Apostles in which the Pastors called all their people to daily Sacraments and the use of it in Austins time when wicked ones in the Church were so numerous that they durst not deal with Church-censures but look into the Scripture though we are kept much in the dark concerning their practice little mention being made of the administration after the institution yet we know that this Sacrament was the priviledge of visible members then in being and it is clear enough how far many even then were short of sincerity If that of 1 Cor. 11. be
another will by no means excuse neglect of it this were to sin because another sins to despise an Ordinance because another prophanes it when one came without a wedding garment no invited guest for his sake did keep from the wedding Fourthly No one Communicant is bound to examine what all are that are his fellow-Communicants there is neither expresse command for it nor yet reason to evince it each man is bound to see himself arrayed as he ought and not to find fault in others addresses Let a man examine himself and so let him eat though he be to admonish as his brothers visible sin gives him occasion Fifthly The penalty of him that comes unworthily reaches his own self that comes in his unworthinesse and extends no further Legal uncleannesse defiled the man that was personally unclean and not his neighbour so it is here He that eateth and drinketh unworthily eateth and drinketh judgment to himself c. Sixthly If one mans sin this way do defile another the sin of one Communicant doth defile all other Communicants then it must be either from the nature of sin thus to defile all in so near Communion or from the nature of the Ordinance thus to be defiled to all when one in defilement comes to it or from some positive precept forbidding all to come when any that is unclean is there I doubt not but this is a sufficient enumeration But 1. It is not of the nature of sin thus to defile all in such communion then it would every where thus defile wheresoever any have society or do accompany together Then the chief Priests had done well to keep out of the Judgment-Hall that they might be clean to keep the Passeover John 18.28 and the Pharisees to wash when they came from Market 2. It is not of the nature of the Ordinance to be thus defiled to all It is not so in other Ordinances Cain's offering defiled not Abels nor did Hophni and Phinehas in their offerings defile Elkanah and Hannah when they offered 3. Nor yet is there any positive precept forbidding a cleansed soul upon the account of the uncleannesse of another to come to this Table Seventhly If one mans presence in this way defile another then it is either his simple presence such a ones being there in his infection or else a willing and witting presence with such a one If simple presence do defile then there is no man that can be secure The closest hypocrite that creeps in unawares would be the undoing of all when Christ said Ye are clean but not all Joh 13.10 according to this opinion it had been a contradiction the uncleannesse of one had been the defilement of all Neither is it willing or witting presence that can in this way defile then it must be in every single mans power to determine him to be such and exclude him thence or else of necessity exclude himself When the Eldership hath judged and received according to the general way of Reformed Churches or the plurality of votes of believers as it is with men of the Congregational way he must make an after-search a further scrutiny he that one judges fit that most judge fit some will judge unworthy and upon that account must shut themselves out of Communion Men of such principles must everlastingly avoid all Church-fellowship or act against their principles and we need not to speak it it is too plainly visible what manner of persons men of such high pretences have in their Congregations There are multitudes of Arguments heaped to nourish this scruple but I shall not further trouble the Reader there is nothing I think can be said but that which here hath been spoke will afford a sufficient answer CHAP. IX The being of Sacraments depends upon their use Another Position yet followes from the words The being of Sacraments depends upon their use they are no Sacraments to those that do not partake of them This is grounded upon this act of Abraham appointed of God and accordingly done by him The being of Sacraments consists in their use He received the sign of Circumcision All that he did was in obedience of the Divine Commandment Gen. 17.11 And ye shall circumcise the flesh of your foreskin and it shall be a token of the Covenant betwixt me and you It was not the foreskin but the foreskin cut off that was the token of the Covenant So also in that of the Passeover Israel had a command from God to take every man a lamb and to eat the flesh rost with fire and unleavened bread and with bitter herbs ye shall eat it Exod. 12.3 8. It is not barely the Lamb but eaten in the way that God prescribed that made the Sacrament In Baptisme the command is Baptize them in the Name of the Father of the Son and of the Holy Ghost It is not water that makes up Baptisme but water applyed to the subject or the subject to the water In the Lords Supper there is bread and wine in their significancy held out not for bare sight but a Command is added Take eat drink ye all of this bread and wine makes not up the Sacrament without breaking giving taking and eating In those Sacraments extraordinary The Sea was no Sacrament but Israels passage through it The Cloud was no Sacrament but Israels guidance by it or the cloud guiding Israel and Israel following after it Neither was the Manna a Sacrament or the rock considered in themselves but the Manna eaten the water of the rock drunk by the Israelites Even the fictious Sacraments of the Church of Rome consist in their use Their Order is no Sacrament where there is none Ordained and Marriage is no Sacrament where none are married Their Chrisme in confirmation oyl in extream unction not applyed are of no use or efficacy This is plain in Reason Arguments to â—vince it First The being of Sacraments depends on their institution Take away their institution and they have no being at all But the institution leads us not barely to an element but prescribes the use not onely to a sign but the application of it not onely to water but to be baptized with water not onely to bread and wine but the eating of bread drinking of wine and the beholding of both Secondly the being of Sacraments depends upon the relation of the sign to the thing signified with the analogy and proportion that is held between them This is plain Take away such relation and the element is a common element and not a Sacrament set aside the consideration of the blood and Spirit of Christ and water is an element for common use to take away the filth of the flesh but for removal neither of the guilt nor filth of sin Take away the consideration of the body and blood of Christ and bread may strengthen nature but not nourish the soul But the relation is not barely in the signs or elements but in their applications to the subject water
condescend to our weaknesse to answer what infirmity can expect or feeblenesse crave We might think that Gideon was exceeding bold with God to ask a double sign for the strengthening of his faith in the promise of God to save Israel by his hand yet we see God is pleased to gratify him Judg 6.39 40. yet God deales more abundantly with us not onely in a double but a multiplied confirmation to make good every truth which he hath been pleased to manifest And as he teacheth us by similitudes drawn from earthly things as we see in the Prophets and parables from our Saviours mouth so also to speak to our eyes in these signes and seales ratifying and confirming heavenly things unto us Those great mercies which no thought can reach are set out in so obvious a way that every eye doth behold and see That water which we employ for our common use and among other necessary services cleanses all filth that cleaves to us serves to set out that great mystery of the blood and Spirit of Christ taking away both guilt and filth of sin The bread which we have at our table the wine which we drink for our food and repast that sets out both the attonement and divine nourishment which our soules find in the flesh and blood of Christ crucified and dying for us There is abundant weaknesse and tottering in our faith that needs in this manner to be strengthened Abundance of sweet mercies in our God that will vouchsafe this to strengthen and support us Secondly If Christ thus condescends to our weaknesse Christs compassion towards us should move us to compassionate our selves in making provision of these helps let us learn to have compassion of our selves and not neglect or despise so great favours If Christ had judged us to have been of strength he had never tendred us this crutch and when he sees that we need it and therefore hath provided it let us see that we do not reject or despise it Is it not to imitate Ahaz in his obstinacy who when he could not believe the promise that God would deliver him and his people from the combined power of Israel and Syria that were then before Jerusalem and having a sign tendred him of God either in the depth beneath or the height above for his assurance in the thing he answers he will not desire a sign Isa 7.11 12. he will rather dwell in his unbelief and perish As that sign was to that promise so all Sacraments are to Gods great promise He that casts away Sacraments indulges unbelief and we may well fear that he shall dwell in it to destruction CHAP. XI SECT I. The whole of the work of Sacraments is by way of sign and seal THe next observation followes The whole office and use of Sacraments All that the Sacraments work on the soules of receivers is by way of sign and seal They have no immediate effects for the working of any inward graces or priviledges but as our understanding is exercised by them as Indicative signes and our faith as ratifications and seales of the promises The text that we have under our hand is abundantly full to his purpose Scarce any text holds out a truth I may say more clear and full then this text doth that which is here delivered if we take in the context with it The Context opened to which the copulative And leads The Apostle having in the former Chapter delivered the doctrine of justification by faith goes on here to make it good by the Example of Abraham and his argument rendred in syllogistical form appears to be this As Abraham the father of the faithful was justified so must all the faithful This is taken for granted as needing no proof But Abraham the father of the faithful was justified not by works but by faith The Assumption consists of two parts and the Apostle proves both 1. The negative that he was not justified by works this he proves by two arguments 1. If he were justified by works then he hath whereof to glory ver 2. But he hath not whereof to glory before God Ergo he was not justified by works 2. If he were justified by works the reward were reckoned not of grace but of debt ver 4. But the reward is not of debt but of grace Ergo. Which he further confirmes by the testimony of David describing the blessednesse of man to whom the Lord imputeth righteousnesse without works saying Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven and whose sinnes are covered Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin ver 7 8. As David describes blessednesse that way man is blessed But David describes it to be by imputation of righteousnesse and not by works Ergo. The affirmative that Abraham was justified by faith he proves by a full testimony of Scripture Gen. 15.6 He believed in the Lord and he counted it to for him for righteousnesse Now it might be objected that this justification of Abraham and blessednesse that David speaks of was nothing to the Gentiles uncircumcised but to the Jewes in the state of Circumcision and so Circumcision may yet have an hand in justitification This the Apostle denies ver 10. and proves the contrary by the time of Abrahams justification which was in uncircumcision not in Circumcision If Abraham were justified in uncircumcision then Circumcision hath no hand in justification But Abraham was justified in uncircumcision Ergo But then the greatest question is to what end or purpose he was circumcised having already that righteousnesse which doth justify what needs more Circumcision then might have been let alone The Apostle answers that he was circumcised on a twofold account for a double reason The first is in reference to his own estate in faith which equally concerns all in his state of believing He received the sign of Circumcision a seal of the faith which he had being yet uncircumcised The second in reference to the whole Church that he might be the Father of all that believe in Circumcision or in uncircumcision so that we have both the Apostles authority and his argumentative discourse for confirmation of our point That the work and efficacy of Sacraments is by way of sign and seal We shall find Peter giving his vote with Paul in this thing where he enters a dispute about Baptisme as Paul here doth about Circumcision as you may find 1 Pet. 3.20 21. having mentioned Gods long suffering towards disobedient ones in the daies of Noah while the Ark was a preparing he saies Few that is eight soules were saved by water That element which as an executioner of divine vengeance destroyed the world of the ungodly as an instrument in the hand of God preserved Noah and his family It destroyed the world by overwhelming of them as after it did Pharaoh and his host It saved Noah and his household by keeping the Ark above trees rocks mountaines buildings or whatsoever might have been
farre as I could learn that it did succeed and spread as little as almost any error that ever I knew spring up in the Church Plain Scripture proof of Infants c. pag. 294. so inconsiderable was the party that stood for it And Vorstius speaking in the name of Protestant Divines in general saith b Id potissimum quaeritur an Sacramenta sint signa tantum sigilla foederis gratiae sive externa symbola signacula foederi gratiae appensa divinitus ad hoc institura ut gratiam Dei salutarem in foedere promissam nobis significent atque ita fidem nostram suo modo confirment simul publice testaram reddant quae quidem communis est Evangelicorum sententia an vero preaterea sint causae efficientes hujus salutaris justificantis gratiae sive an sint effectiva gratiae ejusdem organa nempe ad hoc divinitus institura ut gratiam istam realiter instar vasorum in se contineant omnibus illa percipientibus candem vi sua imprimant reipsa conferant quae Bellarmini Pontificiorum omnium opinio est It is disputed whether Sacraments are onely signes and seales of the Covenant of grace or outward signes annext the Covenant and appointed for this of God that they should signify saving grace of God promised in the Covenant and signifying seal and after their manner confirm our faith and give publick testimony of it which saith he is the common opinion of Protestants or whether they be further efficient causes of this saving and justifying grace or whether they be effective instruments of this grace appointed of God for this thing that they should indeed containe it in them and convey it which is the opinion of all Papists Vorstius Anti. Bellar. ad Contro 1 Gen. And our men further judge that opinion of the opus operatum or of the outward Sacramental action as though without the faith and pious motion of those that use it it could justifie any to be evidently false and pernicious And they teach that all Sacraments by the ordination of God himself have onely a power to signifie and seal and not to conferre the grace of the Gospel it self And whereas several passages in the Liturgy of this Church did seem to favour the opposite opinion affixing adoption membership of Christ and inheritance of the Kingdom of heaven and regeneration to Baptisme we know how great offence it gave to many eminently Learned and pious putting them upon omission of those passages And also what Interpretation as with a grain of salt others put upon them that they were onely Sacramentally such And doubtlesse these either hit upon the meaning of the Church which was held to these phrases in imitation of many hyperbolical speeches in the Fathers or else the Church had mist the meaning of Scriptures so loth were the sons of the Church to be quarrelling with their mother and yet more loth with her to run into errors The Observation it self if heeded hath a caution or limit in it Affirming that Sacraments work no otherwise then as signs and seals and that they conferre no inward graces or priviledges further then they work upon the understanding and faith of those that receive them it implyes that they do conferre what an outward symbole or sign is apt to and of powder to convey and that outward priviledges in Sacraments are either conferred of infallibly evidenced This is clear the Apostle having so far undervalued Circumcision in the flesh as to make it Parallell with uncircumcision so that a circumcised Jew and an uncircumcised Gentile differed nothing as to their Spiritual state and condition inferres by way of objection What advantage then hath the Jew and what profit is there of circumcision And answers not that outward circumcision is altogether unprofitable but that it hath much profit and instances in one eminent one To them are committed the Oracles of God This is the inheritance of the Congregation of Jacob Deut. 33.4 as Moses speaks and carrying with it this great priviledge it conveyes with it all other inferiour Church-priviledges right to the Passeover upon this account was theirs Exod. 12.48 and not otherwise So it is with Baptisme men are taken into the Church at this door according to the Commission given to the Apostles Disciple all Nations baptizing them in the Name of the Father c. Whatsoever they were and whomsoever they professedly served before they are this way taken in as the consecrate servants of the whole Trinity and added to the Church Act 2.47 When they had by the Covenant a precedent title in Baptisme they have a solemn inauguration By one Spirit we are all Baptized into one body 1 Cor. 12.13 It is the Spirits work to shape the heart of unbelieving Corinthians to enter into one visible Church-body as that work of Gods power whereby he did perswade Japhet to dwell in the tents of Shem Gen. 9.27 And therefore when c Durandus docet characterem esse ens rationis id est respectum advenientem ex deputatione ad certum officium qualis est relatio in Doctoribus Praetoribus c. Quae sententia vix distinguitur ab haeresi hujus temporis Durand denyed that the Character which the Church of Rome speaks of was any quality in the soul but meerly a relation comming as by way of deputation to an office or duty exemplifying it by the relation that is seen in Doctors Praetors c Bellar. lib. 2. de Sacramen effectu cap. 14. saith That this opinion can scarcely be distinguished from the Heresie of this time d Haeretici non negant neque negare possunt quin sit aliqua relatio rationis in Ministris quae non est in aliis qui non sunt deputati ad ministrandum And further saith That Heretiques do not deny nor can deny but that there is some relation in Ministers which is not in others who are not deputed to the Ministery We do confesse indeed that there is that relation in Christians to Christ by the work done in the Sacrament of Baptisme which is not in Heathens And though we deny Orders to be any Sacrament yet we confesse there is that relation in Ministers to Christ by vertue of their Ordination that is not in those that are not called to the work of the Ministery There are those indeed that do deny it But those that Bellarmine had to deal with and that he charges for Heretiques as Luther Melancthon Calvin Beza Peter Martyr Chemnitius willingly yeeld it And in case this were all the character that they talke of to be imprinted in Baptisme yea in Ordination we should never contend about it And as these priviledges are conferred as to actual interest in the initiatory Sacacraments both of Baptisme and Circumcision so the same priviledges in the following Sacraments are infallibly evidenced as appears in that text 1 Cor. 10.17 The Apostle there making it
world and death by sin so death passed upon all men for that all have sinned or in whom all have sinned 4. The readinesse and pronenesse of little ones to run upon sin is an evidence of it The thornes bryars and weeds that the earth casts out when precious flowers and choise plants are more hardly nourished is an argument that the earth is under a curse and is not now as once it was The sins that even in childhood appear and together with age grow forwards when graces are difficultly planted and that which is good very hardly produced is as great an evidence of a mans innate degeneration This even Heathens could see though they knew not whence it was e Homines natura sua esse malos induci non posse ut justitiam colant Plato observed that men by nature are wicked and that they cannot be brought to learne righteousnesse and f Hominem à natura noverca in lucem edi corpore nudo fragili atque infirmo animo ad molestias anxio ad timores humili in quo divinus ignis sit obrutus Referunt Theol. Lydenses Disp 15. Thes 6. Tully lamented that man is brought into the world by his stepdame nature with a body naked frail and weak a mind anxious in troubles low under fears weak for labour prone to lust in whom every Divine spark is overywhelmed If any man demand how it comes to passe that we are thus we must look as far as Adam to see the inlet of it By one mans disobedience many were made sinners Rom. 5.19 His was peccatum originans giving the rise to all evils in us thence issued peccatum originatum our original condition as before decribed Sin seizing upon the Angels made them unclean and they have through that defilement the denomination of unclean spirits sin seizing upon man hath rendered him unclane It defiled not onely the person of man but the nature of man had man stood all mankind had stood man falling all mankind became filthy Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean not one Job 14.4 Adam begat a son in his own likenesse Gen. 5.3 like himself when he had lost the image of God what sin made man that an infant is so far as of capacity to be not to act sin he that can do nothing cannot do evil but in them there are those principles that shew themselves in action so far as there is power to act A young Serpent doth sting none poysons none but there is in them a poysonous and destroying na ure which growes as nature growes 5. By the duty incumbent upon Christians to put off the old man Ephes 4.22 which is not so called in opposition to that which is young as though man grew up to it by degrees many years being gone over his head before he had gotten that name but in opposition to that which is new as we see ver 23. The old hath the precedency of the new and is before it as the old garments are worne and put off before the new put on why must all of necessity be new if the old would serve the turn Secondly This sin which is mans hereditary estate This Original state of man is not onely a want of Primâ—tive integrity but is attended with universal defilement hath in it not onely a want of that Priwitive purity which God stamped upon man according to his own likenesse but also an universal defilement and pollution Therefore the Apostle setting out this estate under the name of the old man gives it this character corrupt according to deceitfull lusts Ephes 4.22 All the pollution in the world is from lust 2 Pet. 1 4. that is the sink and source from whence all proceeds and the old man is wholly made up of these corrupt filthy and defiling principles They promise better when they draw aside but that is their work and therefore as they are corrupt so they are branded as deceitful likewise Upon this account it is that man is dead in trespasses and sins able to rise no higher in nature then that which is sin and this renders his conversation to be according to the course of this world after the prince of the power of the air the former is his pattern and the later is his Soveraign the one is followed the other served And consequently with guilt or ordination to punishment In fulfilling the desires or wills of the flesh and mind Ephes 2.23 serving divers lusts and pleasures Tit. 3.3 as wholly enslaved by this defiling principle And as this is of the being so guilt or ordination to punishment is a necessary adjunct or consequent of it Death is in as great a latitude as sin Rom. 5.12 the proper wages of that work Rom. 6.23 Therefore all that have a nature thus defiled are by nature the children of wrath Ephes 2.3 Men may descant as they will upon the word and tell us of another use of it in prophane Authors but all their wit will not work men from under this guilt or gain him any thing more in his birth-state but wrath for his portion Thirdly To restore man to his Primitive happiness his nature must be healed Nature must be healed and guilt removed for restitution of man to his Primitive glory and his guilt removed there must be a change wrought in his principles and a pardon vouchsafed of his sin If either the stain continue or the guilt hold man will be wretched till he be again like God and reconciled to God his case is forlorne This needs no proof man was without stain or guilt when God made him upright his stain must be washed and guilt removed or else his happinesse is not repaired And this was the converted Corinthians glory they were under the defilement of Adultery Idolatry Fornication Drunkennesse c. and upon this account under the sad doome of exclusion out of the Kingdom of heaven but being washed sanctified justified the doome is reversed However you Interpret these several phrases we have their deliverance from the stain and guilt of sin in them Fourthly Either of both of these is the work of Christ and the happy priviledge of all of Gospel-interest Either of both of these is the work of Christ by his blood and Spirit He takes off the stain in the work of Regeneration and Sanctification by the power of his Spirit as by our fall we were dead in sin so by this new work on our hearts we are dead to sin we were free from righteousnesse now we are alive to righteousnesse Rom. 8.11 If the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you When we were dead in sins he hath quickened us together with Christ Ephes 2.5 Christ loved the Church and gave himself for it that he might Sanctifie and cleanse it
well pleased in their bearing up and holding opposition against it These walk up to their Covenant-vow made in Baptisme and come every way fitted for the Lords Table In application of themselves to the one and looking back to the other they find all manner of encouragements and no cause of fears or terrours Every promise made to the believing sincere upright perfect obedient is theirs These may sit down at the Lords Table with all alacrity having a work upon their spirits to abide for ever When they are taken hence they shall change their place but not their company and fellowship Their humbling of their soules under weaknesses plainly speaks their pressing after further strength Their hatred of sin speaks their love of Christ Their resistance of sin their care to walk with Christâ— Of these Christ sayes Thou art all fair my beloved there is no spot in thee Cant. 4.7 that is universally fair they are those that have respect to all Gods Commandments And these whilest such and as such come not within the compasse either of failing in or forfeiture of their Covenant Others are sins above infirmity and unavoidable weaknesses and these are either meer breaches in or violations of our Covenant with God or else such breaches that are also forfeitures and those I call meer breaches or violations of this kind how foul soever that are short of forfeitures such as was Davids uncleannesse and blood Solomons Idolatry Hezekiahs pride Jonas his flight to Tarshish Jobs passion Peters denyal of Christ and whatsoever other sins that may stand parallell with these whether of omission or commission These are sins above infirmities towards presumption at least much of will and consent of heart is in them these are outbreaches from God and violations made upon our Covenant entred with him notwithstanding they be not with full consent of heart and afterwards broken off by repentance And concerning these I shall first lay down severall Positions and then apply all to our present purpose Positions holding forth the danger of notable sins in regenerate persons 1. Though these sins thus acted do not take away all title to the Kingdome of heaven yet they cloud and obscure the evidence and assurance of it I know not how this can be made up to the soul otherwise then by a practical syllogisme inquiring as before into the answer of the conscience to Covenant-engagements He that believes and repents shall be saved is the bottome on which the whole edifice of assurance must stand and how the soul under so sad a witnesse that conscience in this case is ready to give can return answer I believe I repent I yield sincere obedience I cannot understand Yea Conscience in this plight will presently syllogize on the opposite hand No Whoremonger Idolater Murderer Drunkard hath title to the Kingdome of heaven This is a Gospel-Proposition and whatsoever other of like nature that conscience can assume and how far this is from yielding matter of assurance let any judge Neither let election here be objected seeing this is no bottome on which assurance can be built further than we find clear evidence of the fruits of it Those unclean Corinthians reckoned up in that List 1 Cor. 6.9 10. had no assurance of salvation from Election in their unconversion Nor yet can regeneration be objected seeing these are not acts of the regenerate part Unregeneration then bearing dominion and exercising present power evidence is clouded When Hezekiah was left to himself in the matter of the King of Babylon he was not raised above himself in the beatifical vision They that will keep up assurance must keep off from sins Position 2 2. Sin of this nature in a regenerate man brings an inaptitude on the soul in the present state to enter into glory Heaven is a place of greater purity then for a man to step out of Murder and Adultery into it In case a well-ordered discipline will not suffer such without censure in the Congregation much lesse can we think him fit in that state for heaven I wonder how those that pretend at least to keep up Church-Government to that height that none that is impure may be suffered among them can yet in their doctrine set open the gates of heaven for to receive them Is the visible Church on earth in a more narrow latitude then the state of blisse or may we without danger pervert Christs speech and say Few are called but many chosen If Miriam upon sin was not fit for the Camp for seven dayes Numb 12.14 much lesse are these immediately upon the acting of like enormities fit for glory If any think that the merit of Christ steps in and keeps from hell yet doubtlesse the Spirit of Christ hath not in present made them meet or glory Some say What if David had dy'd after his adultery before his recovery what then had been his case He was a child of God and could a child of God have perished And I demand What if Paul had dyed in his persecution when he was exceedingly mad against Christianity He was elected and could a chosen vessel of God have been damned He that can reconcile one of these may be able easily to reconcile them both An Elect person cannot be damned and an enemy of Christ cannot be saved A Child of God cannot dye and a Murderer and Adulterer cannot live We find therefore that Paul did not dye in his Persecution he that chose him to life chose him also to the acknowledgment of the truth David did not dye in his Adultery He that had adopted him for glory wrought him to repentance for remission of sins The salvation if both of them was doubtful respective to their estates now mentioned in case we look onely at the men being both in a plain road towards perdition but the damnation of either of them was impossible if we look at the election and purpose of God Gods Election carries on undoubted and infallible effects through doubtful and contingent means z Omnis actus à duobus dependens quorum unum est necessarium alterum veto contingens licet habet necessitatem ex parte necessarii habet tamen contingentiam ex parte contingentis Ordo praedestinationis certus est et tamen voluntas effectum suum producit non nisi contingenter Praedestinatus potest perire si consideratur ipsius potentia non potest si consideratur ordo quem habet ad Deum praedestinantem Refeâ—t Davenan epist ad Dr. Ward Every action saith Gandavensis depending upon two agents whereof the one is necessary and the other contingent though it be necessary respective to the necessary agent yet it is contingent and doubtfull on the part of the contingent agent Quodl 4. q. 18. The order and way of predestination saith Aquinas is certain and yet the will of man produces its effects no otherwayes than in a contingent manner An elect man may perish if we consider his own power he cannot
perish if we look unto the order in which he stands in respect of God that predestinates See the suffrage of the Divines of great Brittain art 5. part 2. thes 3 4 5 6. Davenants Epist prop. ult Burges on Justification pag. 240. The Assemblies confession of faith Position 3 3. Sins of this nature in an unregenerate man bring him under Gods wrath and present displeasure though they do not work him into a state of wrath or utter losse of his justified state They cause him to bear his Fathers frown though he shall not dye as a Malefactor He shall not enter into condemnation yet he is not taken out of the hands of discipline see Isai 57.17 18. For the iniquity of his covetousnesse was I wroth and smote him I hid me and was wroth and he went on frowardly in the way of his heart I have seen his wayes and will heal him I will lead him also and restore comforts to him and to his mourners These of whom the Prophet here speaks were a people of Gods everlasting love being those whom he heals and to whom he restores comforts They were yet overmuch carried out to covetousnesse and pursuit of creature contentments Gods wrath was upon them for this miscarriage of theirs he was moved here upon to appear in displeasure against them he smites them in his wrath and hides his face in displeasure from them having his eye open to their sin but his face withdrawn from their consolation Num. 20.13 we may find Moses and Aarons sin and the Psalmists observation upon it Psal 106.32 33. They angred him also at the waters of strife so that it went ill with Moses for their sakes because they provoked his spirit so that he spake unadvisedly with his lips Moses suffers from God for his sin when he suffered the people to provoke him to sin This Moses seems never to have done with Deut. 1.37 3.26 4.21 so that God punishes for sin and in anger punishes for it If love and wrath cannot consist as some would have it then Moses was none of Gods beloved 2 Sam. 11. we find Davids sin set out at length and how it took with God we find in the end of the chapter The thing that David did displeased the Lord and that it was no otherwise in New-Testament-times is clear As the onenesse and samenesse of the Covenant which we and they were under doth evince it so also Gods dealings with the Corinthians upon their prophanation of the Lords Supper is a proof of it 4. Sin thus committed is such an obstruction in the way of blisse Position 4 and salvation that there lyes a necessity on the soul to come in by repentance and by prayer to make application to the throne of grace in order to pardon and forgivenesse This is Gods way to bring his into the wayes of salvation and life when they have stept aside into the wayes of death To this end God keeps up Discipline with his own hand as we may see 1 Cor. 11.31 32. The Apostle having there reproved these Corinthians in a tart way for prophanation of the Lords Supper and disswaded them from it by the deadly nature of the crime they were herein guilty of the body and blood of the Lord and the danger they incurred eating and drinking judgement to themselves he farther sets before them present experiments of Gods hand For this cause many are weak and sickly among you and many sleep In this place he lets them know how they might avoid this judgement If we would judge our selves we should not be judged Our examination and sentence might avert the examination and sentence of heaven And then acquaints them with Gods end in this visit of his to correct as a Father and not condemn as a Judge But when we are judged we are chastened of the Lord that we should not be condemned with the world The application here is easie They are the Elect of God and of saving Gospel interest that are kept from condemnation A way in sin would have brought them as others in the world into condemnation If they might have been saved in sin when the world was damned for sin this correction for that end did not need To avoid condemnation therefore for sin God by his judgements lashes them out of it By this shall the iniquity of Jacob be purged and this is all the fruit to take away his sin So that the tendency of sin even in a child of God is to bring to condemnation and the care of God is by afflictions to take him off from sin that he might not be condemned To this end Church-discipline is also set up of God 1. Cor. 5.3 4 5. For I verily as absent in body but present in spirit have judged already as though I were present concerning him that hath so done this deed in the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ when ye are gathered together and my spirit with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ to deliver such a one unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus How farre that sentence of giving up to Satan did reach I shall not stand to determine whether barely to cast him out of the Church and put him among those over whom Satan reigned or as consequent of it horrors and terrors from Satan by Gods just permission when the Church leaves him off from their communion God casts him off from his protection and consolation which as is said ordinarily followed upon this sentence in Primitive times The end is plain the destruction of the flesh that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus If this mans former justification would have brought him on in his sin without step to salvation all this had not needed that his spirit might be saved See further 2 Cor. 7.9 the Apostles severe dealings with these Corinthians concerning this incestuous member had cast them down with grief and this grief raised the Apostles spirit with joy not that they had grieved but that their grief had so happy an issue Now I rejoyce not saith he that ye were made sorry but that ye sorrowed to repentance adding ver 10. For godly sorrow works repentance to salvation not to be repented of They were stepping therefore out of the salvation-way repentance brings them back This in reason is plain If new sins thus committed occasion no such obstruction as to bring a necessity of repentance as some would have it then the free grace of God gives a man full liberty to sin opens a gap to all ungodlinesse this will then follow which some have prophanely inferred from some Gospel-principles Live as I list and shall be saved What shall hinder if no way in sin either hath any tendency to condemnation or is any obstruction in the way of salvation Some I know to avoid this speak of that holy filial ingenuous disposition in a
I hear 1 Sam. 15.14 If Gods command had been done a sheep had not been left to bleat or an oxe to low in his hearing Here is a real confutation as ready If Infant-baptisme cleanses from original sin the root being dead what means such abundance of living lively branches How come all those complaints of the timely growth of sin in Christians children Why have not Paedobaptists found a real confutation of their Adversaries in their issue being able to shew them their young ones as averse from sin as a fish is to a life in the ayr when the children of their adversaries wanting that nature-healing medicine are wholly addicted to it Neither Israelites nor Christians were ever able to hold out such an experiment And if this were our received doctrine it would necessarily herein infinitely strengthen Anabaptisme when Anabaptists have ever found the greatest opposition from their pens that never acknowledged any such power in Sacraments And in case it should fall out that our Adversaries were in the truth and we in an errour concerning this power in Sacraments I cannot possibly see what great danger can any way follow to us upon it seeing that if Sacraments confer grace this way so far above our expectation we among others shall yet have our shares in it Our Infants are in no such errour with us and they put no more bar to the working of Baptisme then the Infants of others And therefore all benefits which thus follow upon Baptisme are theirs And we urge all of growth to see that their consciences answer to all Covenant and Sacramental engagements which in case it be done will acquit them from putting any bar to any such supposed work As a man that takes a medicine not understanding the worth of it shall have equal benefit with him that most mightily extols it so we whether in Infancy or Age notwithstanding any such ignorance shall reap this unexpected benefit by either of both of the Sacraments Mr. Hooker who delivers himself in that manner touching the efficacy of Sacraments that a man cannot tell on what part he stands lib. 5. Eccles pol. Sect. 57. saith It greatly offendeth that some when they labour to shew the use of the holy Sacraments assign unto them no end but onely to teach the mind by other senses that which the Word doth teach by hearing Whereupon how easily neglect and carelesse regard of so heavenly mysteries may follow we see in part by some experience had of those men with whom that opinion is most strong For where the Word of God may be heard which teacheth with much more expedition and more full explication any thing we have to learn if all the benefit we reap by Sacraments be instruction they which at all times have opportunity of using the better means to that purpose will surely hold the worse in lesse estimation To this I may well answer 1. I know not who those be that have given offence that way They at whom this learned Authour is apt to take exceptions and most professedly opposeth do not limit the use of Sacraments within so narrow a compasse as barely to teach the mind or help the understanding that is not according to them their whole work As they are signs they have a twofold other use 1. As marks of distinction to separate Gods own from strangers 2. As bonds of obedience to God strict obligations to the mutual exercise of Christian charity provocations to godlinesse preservations from sin The Authour himself layes down both of these and I scarce think that in this he hath ever been excepted against by any As seales they have a further work upon the will for the strengthening of our Faith in assured confidence of the promises as our Authour hath likewise observed In regard of the weaknesse that is in us they are warrants saith he for the more security of our belief 2. I say they read the Scriptures with little heed and it may be feared as little benefit that do not conscienciously make use of all those helps to which Scriptures lead and that they lead to the use of Sacraments is evident 3. If that the Word and Sacrament were two distinct teachers without reference one to the other and it were left to my choyce which to take I should make use of the better and leave the more inferiour If I should be necessitated to take the one and leave the other the Word should be chosen But seeing that the Sacraments are an appendant to the Word given us in charge there and the whole use of them by the Word is taught no man can conscienciously use the one in neglect of the other But let us see whether that which the Authour himself delivereth be not as much offensive as this at which he seems so greatly offended Having laid down 3. several uses of Sacraments he addes But their chiefest force and vertue consisteth not herein so much as that they are heavenly Ceremonies which God hath sanctified and ordained to be administred in his Church first as marks whereby to know when God doth impart the vitall or saving grace of Christ unto all that are capable thereof and secondly as meanes conditionall which God requireth in them unto whom he imparteth grace For sith God is in himself invisible cannot by us be discerned working therefore when it seemeth good in the eyes of his heavenly wisdome that men for some speciall intent and purpose should take notice of his glorious presence he giveth them some plain and sensible token whereby to know what they cannot see For Moses to see God and live was impossible yet Moses by fire knew where the glory of God extraordinarily was present The Angel by whom God indued the waters of the pool of Bethesda with supernatural vertue to heal was not seen of any yet the time of the Angels presence known by the troubled motions of the waters themselves The Apostles by fiery tongues which they saw were admonished when the Spirit which they could not behold was upon them In like manner it is with us Christ and his holy Spirit with all their blessed effects though entring into the soul of man we are not able to apprehend or expresse how do notwithstanding give notice of the times when they use to make their accesse because it pleased Almighty God to communicate by sensible means those blessings which are incomprehensible Who would not wish that these elegancies might universally hold and that as sure as Moses knew that God was extraordinarily present in the burning bush and the diseased in Jerusalem knew that the Angel was present when the waters were moved and the Apostles that the Spirit was come down when they saw the fiery cloven tongues so in receiving of the Sacramental signes we might as assuredly know that vital and saving grace is imparted to us and that these sensible meanes do as assuredly communicate these incomprehensible blessings But seeing those marks of distinction between the
or proper passive reception that it is therefore called receiving it self and it is therefore as I think called so because it is so and that it hath its concurrence and way of efficacy for possession I think few except Mr. Baxter will deny It followes Yet still I say if any will please to call it an instrument in this sense I will not quarrel with him for the impropriety of a phrase especially if some men had the same ingenuity that others have that say it is but Instrumentum Metaphoricum There is not I hope so much ingenuity desired as to smother or blind their reason If it be a metaphorical instrument there must be some real analogy between it and an instrument properly so called in doing that which is done by an instrument and when an instrument is as is affirmed an efficient An instrument without any efficiency at all is a strange kind of Metaphor It had been better to have held to the old dialect of Equivocal There followes But to say saith he that the act of Faith is the instrument of Ethical active reception which is that which I argued against is to say receiving Christ is the instrument of it self It will sure rather follow that Faith is the instrument of the soul in receiving Christ We say faith receives as we say the hand takes Faith is the instrument of the soul and not of it self in receiving Christ That faith is the eye and hand of the soul are Scripture Metaphors or the sword kills but we mean the man receives by the hand and the hand kills by the sword and so we mean the soul receives Christ by faith I explained my self in giving instance in mens usual language concerning faith which is rejected with no little disdain affirming that these speeches Faith is the eye of the soul the hand of the soul are Metaphors of meere humane use forgetting it seems that ever the Scripture said that Moses by faith endured as seeing him that is invisible or that the promise of the Spirit is received by faith If I had added that faith is the foot of the soul they had all been Metaphors of Divine use I urge Scripture texts We receive remission of sins by faith and an inheritance amongst them that are sanctified is received by faith Act. 26.18 To which is replyed If by signifie an instrumental cause it is either alwayes or sometimes You would not sure have your Reader believe that it is alwayes if but sometimes why do you take it for granted that so it signifies here This I might well retort If it signifie and an instumental cause sometimes why is it not made appear that it does not so signifie here But I confesse that by hath not alwayes such signification Bartimeus sate by the high-way-side begging in which place by is no instrument but when the particle by hath reference to that which hath immediate reference to a principal cause and sometimes is put to the principal cause it self I suppose nothing else but an instrument can be intended when Christ is said to be set forth a propitiation through faith in his blood Rom. 3.25 and that we are justified by his blood Rom. 5.9 I know not how the blood of Christ can be a principal cause and faith not denote an instrument I said why else is this righteousnesse sometimes called the righteousnesse of faith sometimes the righteousnesse of God by faith but that it is a righteousnesse which faith receives To this is replyed It is properer to say Credens recipit credendo the believer by believing receives it then to say faith especially the act receives it Here is an egregious subtilety It is more proper to say I receieve a gift by my hand then to say my hand receives it of the same stamp with another where it is said that Scripture sayes That we are justified by faith yet denyed that Scripture sayes that faith justifies But be it so that is properer does not Scripture speak as improperly Eye hath not seen Eare hath not heard It had been as much properer to have said No man hath seen with his eye or heard with his ear I quote Ephes 3.17 Christ dwells in us by faith and Gal. 3.14 We receive the promise of the Spirit through faith There I say Scripture speaks of faith as the souls instrument to receive Christ Jesus and to receive the Spirit from Christ Jesus and I am answered You odly change the question we are speaking of faiths instrumentality in receiving a right to Christ or Christ in relation and you go about to prove the reception of his Spirit or graces really or himself objectively and so we have a large discourse of Christs dwelling in us But is it not to the purpose to shew that the phrase by faith notes instrumentality which these texts make good and does not Christ dwell in us to more purposes then one Is it not to all purposes that by faith we receive him And then our receiving right to him is not here excluded I said the instrumentality of it in the work of justification is denyed because the nature of an instrument as considered in Physical operations doth not exactly belong to it which if it must be alwayes rigidly followed will often put us to a stand in the assignation of causes of any kind in moral actions To this is replyed I said 1. The action of the principal cause and of the instrument is but one action is not this true of moral operation as well as Physical To this I answer I think here some demurre might be put and scarce believe that it will be fully made good that the action of the principal agent and the instruments which are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are alwayes exactly one though the act of the instrument may be in such cases Interpretatively called the act of the principal agent as David is said to have slain Vriah with the sword of the Ammonites Saul I am sure was of an other mind when intending the death of David he said Let not my hand be upon him but the hand of the Philistines 1 Sam. 18.17 But in case it be granted what hath he gained He adds 2. I say the instrument must have influx to the producing of the effect of the principal cause by a proper causality that is in suo geneâ—e Demanding Is not this true of moral operations as well as Physical Then yeelding that it is true Moral causes may be said to have a lesse proper causation then Physical c. And this lesse proper causation I doubt not but may be found in faith and as proper a causation as an instrument of this nature will bear I say The material and formal causes in justification are scarce agreed upon and no marvel then in case men mind to contend about it that some question is raised about the instrument c. To this there is much spoke telling me what he would have me to have concluded
a principal efficient Mr. Baxter is I am sure as zealous as I can be to assert a conditionate Covenant and if an adversary be as streight-laced to him and me in that as he is to me in this he will hardly prove a condition either in the Covenant of works or grace I will as soon find the word instrument in Scripture applyed to justification as he shall find the word condition applyed to either Covenant And he can name I think no word implying a condition that is alwayes put for a condition and the context wheresoever we are said to be justified by faith or that Christ is a propitiation through faith is in all indifferent Readers eyes as clear for an instrument in justification as those which he and I can bring which yet are clear enough for a conditionate Covenant And that doctrine hath farre more adversaries then this though there is little cause that any man should be an adversary in either He sayes the same answer serves to Act. 15.9 and then the same reply may serve There followes To what you say from Rom. 8.13 I reply 1. An adjutor or concause is ill called an instrument must the Spirit needs be our instrument because it is by the Spirit as if by signified onely an instrument Mr. Baxters head was doubtlesse on somewhat else either when he read these passage of mine or when he framed his answer I never had it in my thoughts that justification is expressely spoken to in any of these texts nor was it my businesse to find out any instrument in them though I doubt not but that faith is spoken to instrument in two of them and as a condition non-instrumental in none of them neither did I dream of making the Spirit an instrument All that I intended was to prove The acts of God are entitled to man and the acts of man to God in Scripture that the acts of man were intitled to God and so the acts of God to man not considering as the businesse in hand let not to it about what these acts are exercised if they prove that It is to me sufficient whether it be in Justification Sanctification Mortification or any other work There is added 2. All this is nothing to the businesse of justification nothing directly immediately but much by way of Analogy It is enough to prove That to be the instrument of man and the instrument of God are not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And if he desire a proof more punctually applyed to justification let him consult Rom 3.30 It is one God that shall justifie the circumcision by faith and the uncircumcision through faith and Gal. 3.8 The Scripture foreseeing that God would justifie the Heathen through faith Faith for justification is usually ascribed to man being properly his act and therefore that text of the Prophet Hab. 2.4 The just shall live by his faith is by the Apostle more then once applyed to justification And in the text now quoted this act of faith is ascribed to God for that work I explained my self man neither justifies nor sanctifies himself yet by faith he is raised to close with God in both c. To this is answered If man justifie not himself and yet faith be his instrument of justifying then farewell old Logick Mr. Baxter is the first great Logitian that I ever heard talk so much of his Logick in the last Section but one we had it and now we have it in the same thing again there I shewed that old Logick may stand and yet his consequence not yeelded 2. It is said If man sanctifie not himself under God as to the progresse and acts of sanctification then farewell old Theology And if man may be said to sanctifie himself further then hath been said or so as to be a principal efficient which will follow from Mr. Baxters reasonings then welcome the newest Divinity It will not be denyed that a sanctified man differs from one that is unsanctified and then in case it may be allowed to say I sanctifie my self he may say I make my self to differ which I never heard that any in direct termes would say against the Apostle but Grevenchovius as I find him cited by Dr. Featly and yet it seems it is my great error that I will not say so I lift man up in that height in justification as to pardon his own sin in holding that it is of faith that it may be of grace not of works lest any should boast And I raise him not high enough in sanctification If I say no more then that by faith he receives power from God by the Spirit for it that text 1 Pet. 1.22 would farre better have served my purpose if I had first hit upon it The Spirit of God and not man is to have the denomination in sanctification Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit They that have done any thing in purifying their hearts through the Spirit will rather entitle the Spirit of God then themselves to it and will judge that he rather then they should be denominated a sanctifier And for other texts that are hinted and one mentioned 2 Cor. 7.1 To argue from the Command to the power is that old Theologie that I am ready to bid farewell to As God requires it so he doth often undertake it and declares that it is his work to do it Ezek. 36.25 26. Deut. 30.6 I think few will say that they make their own hearts new There is added 3. To close with God in pardoning me signifieth not that I pardon my self or that I or any act of mine is an efficient cause of pardon This is for me therefore I am contented it should be said over again and my faith is the instrument wherewith I close with God In case it be the instrument wherewith I receive Christ as Mr. Baxter hath sometimes yeelded There followes 4. When you say that faith as an instrument receiveth righteousnesse to justification you speak exactly the conceptions of most Divines that I have met with or read that go your way and therefore these words deserve a little further consideration and after some enquiry into their meaning There is added but these things must be more accurately considered I think Here it is confessed that I tread in the beaten road and that I do appear in the common cause and comparing what is here said with that which in his conclusion he delivers The Author is confest to appear in the common cause in behalf of Protestants It appears that the Divines of this corner of the world for 1300. years past have all taken this way which is all that go under the name Protestant whether Calvinist or Lutheran as they are wont to be distinguished I shall therefore expect that some of those that by grace have obtained to be as of the first three among Davids worthies will step in with their Auxiliary helps in case the
the mercy-seat durst not lift up his eyes to heaven seeing a large list of sins and not of vertues or praise-worthy carriages goes away justified rather then the Pharisee Here is a subject morally qualified to be a fit patient to be justified not yet actually justified which also was their case Acts 2.37 with the Jaylours Act. 16.30 which I think neither Mr. Baxter nor Mr. Woodbridge can find affirmed of any actually in the faith who according to Scripture are actually justified and not barely qualified to be fit patients in due time to receive it There followes I would have Pareus here put against this which is quoted out of Mr. Woodbridge speaking by way of objection against the Orthodox doctrine of Justification he saith Faith justifies that is Fides justificat i. e. disponit ad justitiam Respondeo Glossa contorta Scripturae ignota et repugnans Justificare enim dicitur fides accipiendo donum justitiae absque operibus non disponendo ad justitiam Nec justificatio fit per motum sicut calefactâ—o sed per imputationem Quod si sicret per motum admodum impâ—oprie fidei tribueretur Neque enim motus ad rem est res ipsa nec dispositio generat sed est via ad generationem Non igitur per motum dispositionis fides justificat it disposes or fits for Justification and answers A wrested glosse unknown to Scripture and contrary to it For faith is said to justifie by receiving the gift of righteousnesse without works and not by disposing for righteousnesse Neither is Justification by motion as is warmth but by imputations And if it were by motion it were most improperly ascrib'd to faith Neither is motion to a thing the thing it self nor doth a disposition obtain any thing but is the way to obtain it Therefore faith do's not justifie by any motion of disposition Pareus in Rom 3. Dub. 8. The reason of this is That this is onely donation or the will of the donour signified that can efficiently convey a right to his own benefits the receiver is not the giver and therefore not the conveyer of right I wonder what this is a reason of if it be intended for a reason of that which goeth immediately befote that faith doth morally qualifie in the way mentioned it is above me to see any reason in it It is further said Every instrument is an efficient cause and therefore must effect and it is onely giving that effecteth this right But it effects no such right without receiving where it is given upon that proviso that it be thus and thus received After much ado and to what purpose let others judge The conclusion is The great thing therefore that I affirm is this that if you will needs call faith the instrument of apprehending Christ or righteousnesse yet doth it not justifie proxime formaliter as such but as the condition of the gift performed And the great thing that I would affirm is That the instrumental apprehending Christ or righteousnesse is this condition of the gift It is given upon condition that we make use of our faith to apprehend it and so the summe is That faith doth not justifie formaliter proxime as apprehending Christ or righteousnesse because it doth justifie proxime formaliter as thus apprehending Faith as a condition certainly doth somewhat and this it is that it doth according to the Scripture The eighth and last of his accurate heads followes In which he saies he opens his meaning together about this point though as he saies with some repetitions I cannot then without repetitions give any further answer which to the Reader would be too troublesome yet somewhat is observable that I find not before Faith saith he must first be faith i. e. apprehensio Christi in order of nature before it can be the condition of right Actual existence not necessary to the being of a condition in a Covenant If faith must have an actual being before it can be the condition of right then perfect obedience according to the old rule as Mr. Baxter calls it must first be perfect obedience in actual being before it can be a condition of the Covenant of works and so it will follow that that Covenant hath no condition seeing there is no such actual obedience A condition may be a condition though not made good though never made good The delivery in of an hundred foreskins of the Philistines was Davids condition for Marriage of Sauls daughter before any Philistine was slain and had stood as a condition though had never been given in If he mean that faith must be faith before the condition be made good this is false for the actual being of it is the making of it good and so it is as much as if I said I must wink in order of nature before I shut my eyes He further distinguishes of apprehensio Christi and conditio praestita when apprehensio Christi is conditio praestita as though I should distinguish between Abrahams sacrificing of his son and his obedience of Gods command in sacrificing him when all know that his sacrificing him was his obedience To say that there is such a thing as faith in the general notion before Christ doth constitute a condition were somewhat but to say that we believe or apprehend Christ before we perform the condition is to say we must perform the condition before we perform it Having led the Reader through all this accuratenesse I must further consider his animadversions I said The Spirit will do nothing without our faith and our faith can do nothing without the Spirit man cannot justifie himself by believing without God and God will not justifie an unbelieving man faith then is the act of man man believes yet the instrument of God that justifies onely believers To which I have a multiplication either of answers and scornes in place of answers 1. It is said The Spirits working in sanctification is nothing to our question of justification It is yet somewhat for illustration for which alone it was brought though nothing for proof for which it was never intended 2. It is said The Spirit works our first faith without faiths coworking and that is more then nothing What need he to have told me this when I had told it him before as the Reader may see in words which he omits I speak there of the Spirits work in the soul where faith is implanted 3. The Spirit moveth faith to action before faith moveth it self Here is an exception to fill up the number If I move my pen to write before it move then I write something without my pen. 4. It is said It is not so easily proved as said That the Spirit never exciteth any good act in the soul nor yet restraineth from any evill without the coworking of faith But why is not this disproved with ease I would know for my learning what act of the Spirit upon a beleeving soul is
of it first a piece of a Concession Secondly a Simile The Concession is That the Gospel without the concomitance of faith doth not actually justifie else faith were no condition or causa sine qua non That faith should barely wait effecting nothing and gain no further honour then here is assigned will appear a strange assertion If it had its efficacy where it was in being in miraculous cures so that it was said Thy faith hath made thee whole I think it is much rather efficacious in justification there being so much spoken of justification by faith I desire Mr. Baxter to consider the words of his learned dying friend Mr. Gataker in his letter to him And surely faith as a medium seems to have a more peculiar office in the transaction of that main businesse of Justification then either repentance or any other grace as the love or fear of God and the like Which to me seems the more apparent because I find it so oft said in the Word that men are justified by faith but no where by repentance Albeit that also be as a condition thereunto required as also that form of speech 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fides or fiducia in sanguine seems to intimate and imply that this grace hath a more special reference then any other to the satisfaction made to Gods Justice for our sins by Christs sufferings which alone we can plead for our discharge of them at Gods Tribunal Much more followes worthy of Mr. Baxters consideration in laying so high a charge as he hath done on our Reformers in this particular There followes a Simile as full of obscurity as the earth is of darknesse and it were aesie so far as it is intelligible to make it appear how much it halteth but that I will not trouble the Reader with such impertinencies and I look for proofs rather then Similes and here is no proof at all I further infer in my Treatise Mr. Pemble therefore affirming the Word to be an instrument of Gods Spirit presently addes Now instruments are either cooperative or passive and the Word must be one of these two Cooperative he saith it is not and gives his reason It is therefore saith he a passive instrument working onely per modum objecti as it containes a declaration of the Divine will and it proposeth to the understanding and will the things to be known believed and practised Here many exceptions are taken Whether the Word be a passive instrument or cooperative with the Spirit First That Mr. Pemble speakes of the Word as the instrument of sanctification we speak of it as conveying right to Christ and as justifying Secondly That Mr. Pembles reason of the passive instrumentality of the Word is but this that it cannot be declared what operative force there should be in the bare declaration of Gods will Thirdly That himself will undertake to declare that an operation there is by the agency of this declaration though not punctually how it operates Fourthly That this passive instrumentality of the Word in sanctifying doth very ill agree with the language of Scripture which makes the Word to be mighty powerful pulling down strong-holds c. Fifthly That Mr. Pemble herein is single and singular To speak to these in order To the first I say Though Mr. Pemble gives an instance of the Words work in sanctification yet there is no reason to believe that he limits his whole discourse to it indefinitely affirming that it is a passive instrument and giving instance in one there is no imaginable reason that he can exclude the other For his second He lets his Reader know that he took an hasty view of Mr. Pemble when he said that this was all his reason he may see the thing fully argued by him mihi pag. 97 98 99 c in quarto which is too long to transcribe The work which is done upon the soul is wrought by the Spirit as the principal agent whether it be to regeneration progressive sanctification or in order to justification every previous work in tendency towards these is from the Spirit likewise as illumination conviction the beginning and whole progresse is by the Spirit The Word is no more then an instrument and all that the Word doth is by power from the Spirit and therefore said to be mighty through God 2 Cor. 10.5 Now the Spirit must work by way of power either on the Word or the soul as its object It must infuse power and strength into the one as the principal agent in the work Mr. Pemble denies that it works thus by an infusion of power into the Word and affirmes that the infusion of strength is into the soul and not into the Word which the Apostle confirmes Ephes 3.16 As for his third which he saies he will undertake to declare he brings nothing but bare authorities He faith he hath read many that say one thing and some that say another but himself is of Scotus his mind and we have not one syllable to induce any other to be of the same judgement His fourth Mr. Pemble answers and saith That all those phrases there reckoned up are to be understood by a metonymy which though they properly belong to the invisible power of the Holy Ghost giving effect unto his own Word yet are figuratively attributed unto the Word it self which he useth as his visible instrument explaining himself by several similitudes For his last If Mr. Pemble be thus sole and singular he was much mistaken Having fully spoke his judgement in this thing he addes pag. 99. And this is the sentence of the Orthodox Church touching the nature and distinction of these two callings Inward by the work of the Spirit outward by the voice of the Word The Arminians are of another opinion whose judgement saith he about this matter is thus c. At large laying down their doctrine And it were easy to multiply those testimonies that take all efficacy or energy from the Word to give it to the Spirit usually quoting 1 Cor. 3.6 7. 2 Cor. 3.6 2 Cor. 10.4 5. He tells me I doubt whether you believe him or your self throughly for if you did I think you would preach but coldly I am perswaded you look your preaching should operate actively And does he think Mr. Pemble did believe his own doctrine or was he a cold Preacher he delivers his doctrine with confidence and backes it with reasons and the workes that he hath left behind argue that he spake with some heat and fervour and I wish that I could gain more heat both in prayer and preaching and I do look that my preaching should operate actively but whether of it self or through the power of the Spirit there lyes the question He concludes If it were proved that there were an hundred passive instruments it would never be proved that faith is one as an instrument doth signifie an efficient cause of Gods work of justifying us neither really nor reputatively is
I desire Mr. Baxter to take into consideration that Text of the Apostle Rom. 8.3 What the Law could not do in that it was weakned through the flesh c. And whether he understand it respective to sanctification which is not agreed upon among Interpreters to give his Reader satisfaction Quomodo patitur Lex in hac debilitatione Quid patitur ut fi at impotens et inefficax Quomodo haec impotentia inefficacia fuit in carne utrum eminenter an formaliter Quomodo agit Caro in hoc influxu debilitativo in legem And I doubt not but I may as easily answer his Queries in order to the vindication of my assertion as he may mine in vindication of that which the Apostle delivers Answering the last all is indeed answered Caro agit injiciendo obices remoras Quo minus Lex operatur in corde hominis Spiritus agit per fidem ut causa removens impedimentum E medio tollens obices remoras istas Incitando potenter inclinando animam in amplexum promissionis divinae I desire also his full Comment on the Apostles words 2 Cor. 3.6 Who hath made us able Ministers of the New Testament not of the Letter but of the Spirit for the Letter killeth but the Spirit giveth life with a satisfying answer to all like Quaeries that thence may be made I suppose he will grant that they are able Ministers of the New Testament no otherwise then in preaching the Gospel and when the bare Scripture as Tremelius reads it is of power onely to kill we may demand how the Gospel suffers in receiving any such quickening power from the Spirit And indeed the Gospel suffers not but the soul in receiving power to answer the Gospels call whether to Justification oâ— sanctification And that the Spirit makes use of faith in this quickening power I think will not be denyed seeing the Apostle tells us The life that I live in the flesh is by faith in the Son of God Faith therefore hath its hand in the Spirits quickening work and he addes Sure you do not take the foregoing words for proof adding What though onely believers are justified by the Covenant doth it follow that faith gives efficacy and power to the Covenant to justifie then either there are no conditions or causae sine quibus non or else they are all efficients and give efficacy and power to other efficients I confesse those words taken by themselves in that sense as he may fancy and the words in themselves may bear will not come up to a full proof Justification may be restrained onely to believers and yet faith have no hand in it but seeing other Scriptures give an efficiency to faith in this work some of them speaking of it as Gods instrument Rom. 3.30 most of them as mans we may well then know that Scripture holds it not out as any such naked condition To others the Gospel-grant lyes dead to these through faith it is effectuall There is added Your terms of faiths giving power through the Spirit tell me that sure you still look at the wrong act of the Gospel not at its moral act of conveyance or donation but at its reall operation on mans heart I do look at the act of the Gospel as its real operation on mans heart and yet I look at the right act of it The Gospel is an instrument to justifie by the intervening act of faith according to Protestants and by the intervening work of sanctification according to Papists and according to both there is a real work on the soul necessary to put into a posture for Justification All know that Divines distinguish between redemption wrought by Christ and the application of it Redemption is the proper work of the Son but Application they ascribe to the Spirit a Hinc Pater Filius mittere dicuntur Spiritum ad applicationem istam perficiendam The Father and the Son are said saith Amesius to send the Spirit to perfect this application Medull Theol. Cap. 24. Sect. 5. And whereas I am told that neither Scripture nor Divines use to say that the Gospel remitteth sin or justifieth by the Spirit nor doth the Spirit otherwise do it then by inditing the Gospel c. Though I own not this phrase that is here put upon me and I might expect so much priviledge as to be Master of my own words yet I would have it taken into further consideration whether Divines use his language or mine or whether they judge not that tâ—â—e the right act of the Gospel for pardon of sin which I mention The Leyden Divines having spoke of the application of the righteousnesse of Christ Disp 33. Sect. 21. have these words Sect 24. b Haec applicatio in nobis fit à Spiritu sancto 1 Cor. 6.11 dono scilicet fidei Ipse enim eam per Ministerium Evangelii Quod Ministerium Spiritûs dicitur 2 Cor. 3.8 ingenerat ac verbo suo ac Sacramentis confirmat auget Phil. 1.29 Gal. 5.5 Unde Spiritus fidei dicitur 2 Cor. 4.13 quâ Deum ut gratiosum Christum ut redemptorem ejusque justitiam ex eâ vitam aeternam apprehendimus Joan. 1.12 Rom. 9.30 This application in us is made by the holy Spirit 1 Cor. 6.11 viz. by the gift of faith For he works it by the Ministery of the Gospel which is called the Ministery of the Spirit 2 Cor. 3.8 and encreases it by his Word and Sacraments Phil. 1.29 Gal. 5 5. From whence it is called the Spirit of faith 2 Cor. 4.13 whereby we apprehend God as gracious Christ as Redeemer and his righteousnesse and from it everlasting life Joh. 1.12 Rom. 9.30 And Sect. 25. This application on our part is made by faith Rom. 5.1 Acts 26.18 A parte nostrâ fide Rom. 5.2 Actor 26.18 ex fide per fidem Ro. 3.30 Justistficamur justificat nos Deus By faith and through faith Rom. 3.30 We are justified and God justified us with much more to that purpose And Ravanellus in verbum justificatio speaking of the instrument of justification saith it is either outward or inward c Causa instrumentalis externa verbum Dei Sâ—cramenta ut patet ex Rom. 4.11 ubi circumcisio appellatur s gillum justitiae fidei nam verbum Dei Sacramenta sunt organa per quae Deus nos vocat per quae operatur conservat ac auget in nobis fidem obsignatque in cordibus nostris gratiam justificationis atque adeo Ministri Ecclesiae alii qui docent nos viam salutis Dan. 12.3 The outward instrumental cause he saith is the Word of God and the Sacraments as appears from Rom. 4.11 where circumcision is called the seal of the righteousnesse of faith for saith he the Word of God and Sacraments are instruments by which God doth call and by which he works preserves and encreases faith in us and seals in
our heart the grace of justification and so also the Ministers of the Church and others which teach us the way of salvation Dan. 12.3 Gomarus Matth 5.4 pag. 46. denying any affections or work of man preceding faith to be the procuring cause of justification and affirming that faith it self is no such cause but an instrument onely gives this reason e Nullae hominum affectiones ac praeparationes nullaque opera fidem antecedentia justificationis causae nedum proreantes esse possunt imo nec fides ipsa causa illius est procreans cum ealaus soli gratiae Dei ac merito Christi efficaciae Spiritus sancti comperat Rom. 3.24 28. Ephes 2 8. sed tantum instrumentalis That honour belongs onely to the grace of God and merit of Christ and efficacy of the holy Ghost so far are these Divines from excluding the Spirit from having any hand in this work such a Gospel instrumeâ—â—ality as that it should do nothing at all on the souls of men I have not before read or heard of As it tenders conditions so it is employed to work the conditions that it tenders It makes known the mind of God that men believing have right to Christ and in him to justification and it works faith for justification onely believers saved by it and it is the power of God and not nudè signùm voluntatis divinae to salvation And as the Simile brought by Mr. Baxter of a Fathers bequeathing by his testament an hundred pound a peece to each of his sons To one on condition he will aske it of his elder Brother and thanke him for it to a second and third upon conditions at pleasure with this demand upon it Do any of these conditions give power to the testament No yet the testament doth not efficaciter agere till they are performed why is that saith he because all such instruments work morally onely by expressing ut signa the will of the agent and therefore they work both when and how he will and it is his will that they shall not work till such a time and but upon such termes c. He might easily see how little this serves to our present purpose 1. That which he speaks of is a bare testament and no more but the Gospel as elsewhere I have shewed is a Covenant truly so called and not barely a testament 2. Those Legacies are such gifts that each son would be apt to imbrace being ready to put a sufficiently high estimate upon them But this Gospel-gift if nothing further be done will for ever lye contemned and neglected 3. The will is a meer instrument of donation leaving the Legatee to himself to accept or refuse The Gospel is the instrument of Gods power by the Spirit to change the heart and work upon the will for acceptance 4. These testament-legacies presuppose the condition not yet performed and so the Legatee without all right upon Testament-termes But Mr. Baxters Gospel-donation supposes the conditions already done and the soul upon that account in full possession before this Gospel-donation comes It conveyes right to a believer and if he be a believer as hath been abundantly shewed he is in present possest of Christ his righteousnesse and justification by him And whether or no I have acquit my self from the double charge brought against me I shall leave to the Readers consideration 1. If there be an instrumental efficiency ascribed to faith in Scripture in a work in which there is as much of God and as little of man seen as in the work of justification then there is no reason but that faith also hath an instrumental efficacy in the work of justification This is clear The reason given why faith should have no instrumental efficacy is because this takes from God who alone is the efficient and ascribes to man who is justified and doth not justifie himself But an instrumental efficiency is ascribed in Scripture to faith in a work on which there is as much of God and as little of man as in the work of justification This is clear in miraculous cures wrought upon diseased persons The work upon them was Gods not mans They were cured and did not cure themselves yet an instrumentall efficiency is ascribed to their faith If those words spoke to the two blind men Matth. 9.29 According to your faith be it unto you nor that of Paul concerning the creeple at Lystra That he had faith to be healed Act. 14.9 nor yet that of Christ to the Canaanitish woman Matth. 15.28 O woman great is thy faith be it unto thee as thou wilt will not hold it out which yet seem to speak very much this way other graces were qualifications yet none but this is taken notice of yet that to the woman with the bloody issue is full Matth. 9.22 Mark 5.34 Thy faith hath made thee whole not onely made whole by faith which is an exception against faiths justifying but faith made her whole Quemadmodum fidei ascribit Christus quod mulier soluta est à morbo corporis ita certum est fide nos consequi remissionem peccatorum adoptionem filiorum Dei juxta doctrinam Evangelii words speaking as much of instrumental efficacy as may be The conclusion then followes That faith hath its instrumental efficiency in justification likewise Pareus his notes upon the words are worthy observation As Christ ascribes it to faith that the woman is healed of the disease of her body so it is certain that by faith we obtain remission of sins and adoption of children of God according to the doctrine of the Gospel 2. If there be an instrumental efficiency ascribed to faith in Scripture respective to salvation then there is an instrumental efficacy ascribed to faith respective to justification This is plain nothing can instrumentally work to salvation that takes not in justification But an instrumental efficacy is ascribed to faith respective to salvation Luk. 7.59 He said to the woman Thy faith hath saved thee In the context there is a full proof of the Major The great priviledge which she of grace received there is the forgivenesse of her many sins and this is acribed to her faith The Minor is fully proved Her great love is mentioned as a consequent of this grace received But it is ascribed to her faith as that which had its alone efficacy Thy faith hath saved thee As we are saved by faith or through faith Ephes 2.8 so faith saves The conclusion then followes that faith hath its instrumental efficacy in justification 3. That which puts a man into possession of that from which justification necessarily and inevitably followes that is either a principal efficient or an instrument in justification This cannot be denyed He that puts me into a place to which a plentiful livelihood is necessarily annexed is either the efficient or an instrument of my livelihood But faith puts into possession of Christ from whom justification necessarily followes
as signum voluntatis divinae being a manifestation of Gods pleasure concerning the justification of a sinner is sufficient So farre I shall willingly grant That which is to be asserted is 1. That this manifestation of Gods pleasure or signum voluntatis divinae before mentioned is the first ground work on which the whole work of justification is bottomed and goes before those graces but now mentioned which Mr. Baxter makes antecedent to justification This is plain The termes on which God will justifie must be understood before men can be brought to accept and come up to them 2. This manifestation of Gods will thus made knowne and by the power of the Spirit applyed to the soul in an unjustified condition works to humiliation regeneration faith and by faith to justification 3. This manifestation of Gods pleasure being applyed to a man already humbled regenerate and in faith finds him as we have heard before in a justified posture Though Faith in nature goes before justification as the cause before the effect yet they are in that manner simul tempore that none can conceive a believing man in an unjustified condition that so there should any intervall or time passe for conveyance of right by Gospel-grant to justification 4. This Gospel-grant or manifestation of Gods mind being thus tendred as before to a regenerate believing soul serves for ratification and confirmation of his justified condition to make good to such a believing son or daughter that their sinnes are forgiven To apply these assertions to our present purpose This manifestation of Gods pleasure Gospel-grant or signum voluntatis divinae or whatsoever else we call it in the first consideration justifies not Going before that which is antecedent to Justification as we see it does it cannot justify In the second consideration it works indeed to justification But if we yield this to Mr. Baxter he will not accept of it for he saies he does not thus speak of it and in this consideration it justifies not without faith but works faith in order to Justification By this man is preached forgivenesse of sins and by him all that believe are justified In the third consideration it justifies not seeing it finds the work done to its hands and onely serves for the work of assurance as in the last place is asserted So that all that can be said of this Gospel-grant donation or conveyance of right so often by Mr. Baxter mentioned in this work is 1. To make known Gods mind on what termes justification may be attained 2 By the power of the Spirit through faith to work it and finally to assure ratify and confirm it I shall the refore close this dispute if I may be allowed so to stile it in the words of Chemnitius in his Common place de justificat mihi pag. 797. octavo Having spoken to the causes of justification he saith It is altogether necessary that there be application made of these causes to the person to be justified Omnino verò necesse est fieri applicationem harum causarum ad personam justificandam Nam quotquot receperunt eum his fecit potestatem filios Dei fieri Joan. 1.12 3.33 Et Modus seu medium applicationis seu apprehensionis docendi gratiâ vocatur causa instrumentalis Duplex autem est causa instrumentalis 1. Docens Patefaciens Offerens et Exhibens beneficia justificationis per quam Deus nobis communicat illa bona et haec est vox Evangelii et usus sacramentorum vel sicut veteres loquntur verbum vocale et visibile For as many as received him to them he gave power to be made the Sons of God John 1.12 and 3. v. 33. And this manner or medium of application or apprehension speaking to mens capacity is called a cause instrumental And this instrumentall cause is twofold 1. Teaching Opening Offering and Exibiting the benefits of justification by which God doth communicate unto us those gifts And this is the Word of the Gospel and use of Sacraments or as the Ancients speak the Word vocal and visible 2. Receiving or apprehending 2. Recipiens seu apprehendens quâ nobis applicamus illa bona quae in Evangelio offeruntur ita ut eorum participes reddamur Est igitur quasi manus Dei traders et hominis manus suscipiens id quod traditur Supra autem testimonia et annotata et explicata sunt solam fidem non ulias alias vel qualitates vel opera in nobis esse medium applicationis whereby we apply those gifts to our selves which are offered in the Gospel that we may be made partakers of them There is therefore the hand of God as it were delivering and the hand of man receiving that which is delivered And testimonies are both observed and above explained that onely faith sand no other qualities or works in us is the medium of application SECT VI. A fourth Corollary from the former Doctrine AS Christians must see that they be aright principled in this Gospel-doctrine of the righteousnesse of faith Christians must get assurance that they do act according to these principles so also they must get assurance that they act according to these principles which I might urge respective to all that which is required of a man of Gospel-righteousnesse But having already spoke to that purpose in pressing the necessity of the answer of conscience unto Sacramental engagements I shall here onely urge it respectively to that grace which immediately interests us in this righteousnesse which is the grace of faith as we see in the Text which is confest to be the grace that receives Christ even by those that deny the instrumentality of it in our Justification If this righteousnesse which is our Justification be the righteousnesse of Faith then those that are void of faith must needs be wanting in this righteousnesse and Christ being the end of the Law for righteousnesse to those that believe those that persist in unbelief never attain to this end And howsoever zealous they may otherwise appear yet they come short of righteousnesse for life and salvation Giving assent to all Gospel-truths perhaps upon the principles of their education they may not onely have the repute but also enjoy all outward priviledges of believers yet wanting that work upon their will or if you please in their affections to receive Christ and close with him they yet have not Christ nor life in him and therefore upon this account there is all reason to hearken to that of the Apostle Especially to see to their faith 2 Cor. 13.5 Examine your selves whether ye be in the faith prove your own selves Know ye not your own selves how that Jesus Christ is in you except ye be Reprobates In which words we see the Apostles exhortation and his reason annext The exhortation calls us to self-examination to a self-tryal an inquisitive experimental tryal The question to be put or thing to be proved or brought to upon
there are many who scarce ever questioned but that they do believe yet when they come to the test are nothing TEKEL may be written upon them Thou art weighed in the balance and art found wanting Dan. 5.27 What the Wiseman saith of riches is true being applyed to faith Prov. 13.7 Some boast themselves of the strength of their faith that they thank God they have ever believed when as their faith is a meer fancy These boasters are but a crack like a banquerupts vapour Others complain of their unbelief yet ready to renounce all for Christ their complaint is not out of want of faith no more then the covetous worldlings is out of want of wealth but because they cannot give themselves satisfaction in believing Fifthly In case upon a due search and tryal thou find but a Mot. 5 shadow of faith and no substance Howsoever the case is not forlorn and remedilesse a meer resemblance of justifying faith and not the faith that doth justifie yet it is not so remedilessely gone but that it may be holpen not so deplored but that a cure may be had The most barren ground may be made fruitfull and the heart that is most obdurate may be made fleshy God out of the number of unbelieving ones and out of the number of meer pretenders to the faith chooseth to himself those that are truly faithful When the evidences of a mans lands are faulty and the fault past help men are willing to shuffle all over and rub out as well as they can but go with many sick thoughts about it but if there may be any way found they will not be wanting in their endeavours neither will they spare any cost to settle and establish it Deal so with thy faith bring thy evidences to Councel and what is amisse let be amended SECT VII Helps for the discovery of the truth of our Faith FOr our help in this discovery we must consider First The soyl where faith growes Every ground will not bear all grain and every heart is not capable of true faith Secondly The proper and true kind and nature of it Every plant that doth grow up like it is not it Thirdly The means that is to be used for preservation of it It will not live and grow without nourishment Fourthly The fruit that it bears or effect that it produceth True faith is not idle dead or barren Some of these or all of these will lay open thy faith to thee The humbled soul the proper soyl for faith 1. The soyl where it growes is the humble or rather the humbled soul The heart rent torn broken and nothing in its own eyes is the proper seat of it You may as soon find a fair rich garden or a fruitful corn-field upon an hard rock or in ground where no plough hath toucht as you can find faith in an heart not cast down but lift up in it self This we may see in the opposition put by the Prophet Hab. 2.4 His soul which is lifted up is not upright in him but the just shall live by his faith The heart is sometimes said to be lift up for God high in resolutions and actings in his obedience 2 Chron. 17.6 This is not done but by the strength of faith The unbelieving soul in the wayes of heaven is low and dastardly but the lift-up heart in this place of the Prophet is an heart high in it self never yet brought down to the sight of its own defiled and deplored condition and this is put in opposition to the believing heart This soul little heeds a threat as little regards a promise sees no necessity of reliance upon Christ and hath no strength for obedience The opposite to this is the believing soul and that is the humbled soul brought down in sense and sight of its own condition Humiliation as the word bears is a bringing down laying low and rendring base and contemptible and this is the most proper acceptation and in Scripture variously used 1. As the act of God upon man or any society of men as Deut. 8.2 3. 1 Sam. 2.7 2 Cor. 12.21 2. The act of man upon man one man upon another and this either to make sinfully vile filthily low so the defiling of a woman is called humbling her Levit. 21.14 Ezek. 22.10 11. or to make outwardly low and mean so Nebuchadnezzar took an oath of Zedekiah and brought him under homage to make the Kingdome base Ezek. 17.14 3. As the act of man upon himself and this also either to make sinfully vile as the sons of Eli made themselves vile 1 Sam. 3.13 or outwardly vile and so the Lord Christ for our sakes humbled himself Phil. 2.8 And as the word is used to make low or render vile so also to esteem repute and account as low and vile Sin brings a man lower then the dunghill then the dungeon and man hath made himself so by sin When we see our selves in this low estate and are brought to a sense and acknowledgment of it then we are humble then we humble our selves and the soul that is brought into this frame is the soyl in which faith takes and kindly growes Such a soul sees nothing but want and therefore is glad of supplyes sees nothing but danger and therefore is glad of support and deliverance As the lift-up heart will not come to Christ that it may have life being under no sense of death so these cannot be kept from Christ The soul which is naturally high and lofty is not in Gods ordinary way wrought into this frame without some sensible work upon it being so foul and yet in its own eyes clean so wretched and yet in its own thoughts happy it must be brought to conviction in order to conversion it must by the Law be brought to see sin before it will be washt from it or will seek a pardon of it There must be John Baptists to make way for Christ some soul-shakings before the sweet and still voyce of Gospel-comforts Something indeed may be said as to those that with Timothy have been trained up from childhood in the knowledge of Scriptures and with John Baptist sanctified in the womb for the abatement of this soul-humbling and shaking work as to the degree of it though not to the total exclusion They were not capable to make observation of the pollution of sin till they were in their measure by the Spirit cleansed nor to know the danger of sin till they were justified and acquitted yet even in those there is so much of the reliques of sin and remainders of corruption that upon discovery of their inconformity in such a measure to the will of God they cannot want some workings of Spirit But as to those that live all their dayes and never apprehend any thought of fear by reason of sin nor ever called the state of their soul into question but have alwaies carried it in the same plight Among all the questions that they have
8 The Apostles definition Rom. 4 11 Vindicated Page 33 34 A full definition thence laid down Page 36 The sign and thing signifiâ—d in every Sacrament are Analogically one Page 49 50 No Sacrament without a promise preceding Page 56 Sacraments The distribution of them Page 9 God not tyed to Sacraments Page 30 31 They are standing Ordinances Page 294 Reasons evincing it Page 295 296 When they are dispensed they may not without weighty reasons be omitted Page 306 The being of them consists in their usâ— Page 317 c. Arguments evincing it ib. The Sacrament of the Supper not exempted Page 119 Reasons given ibid. c. Sacraments have respect both to the change of of our nature and the removall of our guilt Page 368 We are to look for no more from Sacraments then God hath put into them Page 405 As the word teacheth by the ear so Sacraments by the help of the word teach by the eye Page 413 Men professing relation to God may see in Sacraments further engagements and provocations to holiness ibid. Sacraments are necessary means of faiths nourishment Page 508 Sacraments are seales entrusted in the hand of men Page 192 c. Sacraments seal the promise of the Gospell condionally Page 194 Gospell Sacraments lead us unto Christ in his priestly office Page 567 All Sacraments from the fall substantially one Page 424 426 Sacramentall Gods condescension in sacramentall signes Page 52 53 Sacramentall signes must be explained Page 56 Mens aptness to delude themselves in Sacramentall privileges Page 405 All ages have over-highly advanced Sacramental privileges Page 406 Sacraments Covenant All interested in Sacraments must come up to the terms of the Covenant Page 280 Sacraments annexed te the Covenant of works were without relation to Christ Page 10 11 That righteousness which the Covenant requires the Sacraments appendant to it seal Page 413 Sacraments are ever suitable to Covenants Page 413 All Sacraments must answer to the Covenant to which they are annexed Page 6 Sacraments without spirituall profit to them that live in breach of Covenant Page 18 A Covenant falling Sacraments that are annexed fall with it Page 18 c. Sacraments under the Old and New Covenant one and the same Page 25 The Covenant people of God the adequat subject of Sacraments Page 74 All interest in Sacraments is upon the account of the Covenant Page 75 c. Sacraments Number The way to find out the number of Sacraments Page 514 No express Scripture to determine their number Page 515 Two onely standing ordinances in the Old Testament of the nature of Sacraments ibid. Five suppositious Sacrments of Rome examined Page 528 Sacrifices Whether of the dictates of nature Page 21 Not Sacraments Page 529 How far Sacramentall ibid. How they differ from Sacraments ibid. Saint A title in Scripture not proper in the justified Page 149 Sanctification The Spirit of God and not man is to have the denomination in it Page 452 Satisfaction How Christs satisfaction to God for us is received by us Page 457 Sathan His imitation of God in the wayes of his worship Page 20 Sea Israels passage through it of the nature of a Sacrament Page 525 No standing Sacrament Page 526 Seales Various acceptation of the word Page 326 Severall use of a Seal Page 327 For secrecy ibid. For warranty ibid. For distinction ibid. For security ibid. For ratification ib. c. Seal of the Covenant and the Seal of the Spirit not of equall latitude Page 141 Seals Sacraments Sacraments are Seales Page 326 Serving for ratification of promises Page 328 Objections answered ibid. c. The whole use and office of Sacraments is by way of signe and seal Page 352 Reasons confirming it Page 354 355 Humane authorities produced Page 356 Variety of opinions about the working of Sacraments Page 359 c. Propositions tending to cleer the truth Page 363 Texts of Scripture brought by those that would raise the work of Sacraments higher of two sorts Page 372 1. Such where no Sacrament is mentioned ib. 2. Such where faith is required to the attainment of the effect Page 376 Objections answered Page 380 Sermon Formally so called not essentiall to a Sacrament Page 61 Whether the word which gives being to Sacraments be concionatorium or consecratorium Page 57. c. Scripture Must not be left to hunt after humane authorities Page 111 Scripture order of words no foundation for arguments Page 170 Scripture characters of men in grace are laid down for men to try themselves by Page 189 Signe What it is Page 38 c. Severall kinds of Signes Page 39 Naturall ibid. Prodigious Page 41 c. By institution Page 42 Rules for the right understanding of naturall signes Page 39 Remote causes are no signes ibid. Partiall causes are no signes Page 40 Natural signes when causes work unavoidably Page 41 Sacramentall signes Sacraments are signes Page 38 Sacraments are to be defined as signes Page 321 Objections answered ibid. c. Sacramentall signes Their properties Page 43 Externall and sensible ibid. Visible Page 43 44 Analogicall Page 45 Rituall Page 46 Distinguishing Page 46 47 65 c. Congregating Page 47 48 Engaging ibid. Remembrancing ibid. 49 Ratifying Page 49 Gods condescension in Sacramental signes Page 52 53 Sacramentall signes must be explained Page 56 Sin All sins are not Spirit-grieving sins Page 392 Notable sins in regenerate persons followed with many dangers Page 394 They cloud assurance of glory ibid. They bring an inaptitude on the soul to enter into glory Page 395 They bring under wrath and displeasure though they work not into a state of wrath Page 396 They are such an obstruction in the way of bliss that they bring a necessity on the soul to come in by repentance Page 397 Rules to discern the nature and quality of sins Page 399 The more of light the less of weakness and the crime more hainous ibid. The less of temptation the more of sin and the less of weakness ibid. c. The more of deliberation and conviction the more of sin Page 400 The more opportunity for duty the greater the neglect Page 401 Severall sorts of sins that are Covenant forfeitures Page 402 c. Sincerity Of heart in covenanting not of the essence and being of a Covenant Page 131 Spirit The seal of the Covenant and the seal of the Spirit not of equall latitude Page 141 Bloud and Spirit way be distinguished but must not be divided Page 367 The acts of the Spirit in a believing soul are ascribed to faith Page 463 The Spirit works not in us respective to Salvation after faith is implanted without us ibid. The Spirit hath a further hand in justification or pardon of sin then alone by enditing the Gospell Page 483 Scriptures and humane authorities produced for it ibid. The Spirit of God and not man is to have the denomination in Sanctification Page 452 Lords Supper A privilege of the Church visible Page 187 It is not limited to